Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
THE FLORIDA BAR TRIAL LAWYERS SECTION
Vol. XXXVI, No. 4 June 2006www.flatls.org
INSIDE:Computer Forensics: The New,
Must-Have Skill ............................3
Chair’s Message By Mark P. Buell, Chair, Trial Lawyers Section
Irecentlyhadthethrillofwatch-ing my collegeroommate,GeneR.Nichol,inauguratedas the26thPresi-dentoftheCollegeof William andMary, along withthe College’s newChancellor,Sandra
DayO’Connor.TheCollegeofWilliamandMaryislocatedinWilliamsburg,Vir-ginia,andisthesecondoldestinstitutionofhigherlearningintheUnitedStates. AsCourtneyandIsatliterallyintheshadowof theWrenBuildingontheWilliamandMarycampus,Iwasstruck
bythefactthisvenerable institution,the“literalwellspringofanAmericanenlightenmentpoliticalphilosophy”asPresidentNichol intoned,hadturnedtotwolawyersforleadershipintotheCollege’s4thcentury.Iwasalsostruckbytherealityofhowlongithasbeenso.Thatis,leadershiphasalwayscomefromtheBar,andsincelongbeforeThomasJeffersonpennedtheDeclarationofIn-dependenceandJamesMadisonfatheredtheConstitution,lawyerswereinventingandimplementingandimprovingasys-temwhichwouldliterallyrevolutionizetheconceptsoffreedomanddemocracy. In her address Justice O’Connortoucheduponasubjectwhichisthefoun-dationofoursystemofjustice:theinde-
pendenceofthejudiciary.ShenotedthatformanyyearsinEngland,judgeswereselectedwiththeapprovaloftheking,whohadthepowertoremovethem. ItwasnotuntiltheSettlementActinEnglandinthelate1700sthatpowerofremovalofjudgeswastakenfromtheking.Whenitcametimetodraftourownconstitution,theframersretainedtherulethatallowsfederal judgestoserveforgoodbehavior.Unfortunately,
Three Judges’ Views on Vanishing Civil TrialsbyMarkW.Bennett*,MargaretH.Downie**,LarryC.Zervos***
Theprevalenceoftrialsasameansforresolvingcivilcaseshasdeclineddramaticallyinrecentyearsinbothfederalandstatecourts.1Thisisthestartlingconclusionof theground-breakingworkspearheadedbyUni-versity of Wisconsin Law SchoolProfessor Marc Galanter who hasidentifiedanddescribed“thevanish-ingtrial”phenomenon.2
Herearesomethought-provokingstatistics concerning thedecline inciviltrials(currentasof2002data):• Infederalcourt,casedispositions
increased from about 50,000 in1962tomorethan250,000in2002;yetafterpeakingatover12,000
trialsin1985,thenumberoftrialsdeclined toabout4,500 in2002,which is lessthanthe5,800civilcasesthatweretriedin1962.Thus,theproportionoffederalcivilcasesresolvedbytrialdeclinedfrom11.5percent in1962to1.8percent in2002.Ofthecasesthatwenttotrialin1962abouthalf (47.7percent)were jurytrials;ofthecasesthatwent to trial in2002,about twothirds(65.8percent)werejurytri-als.
•Instatecourts,thedataaremorefragmentary,but thesametrendisapparent.Astudyoftrialcourtsofgeneraljurisdictionin21states
andtheDistrictofColumbiathatcontain58percentoftheU.S.pop-ulationcoveringtheyears1976to2002foundthattheportionofcivilcasesreachingjurytrialdeclinedfrom1.8percentofdispositionsto0.6percent;andbench trialdis-positionsfellfrom34.3percentto15.2percent.3Thismeansthattheabsolutenumberofjurytrialswasone-thirdlessin2002thanin1976,andtheabsolutenumberofbenchtrialswasdownby6.6percentdur-ingthatperiod.
Theimportanceof“thevanishingtrial”phenomenoncausedJudicaturetoseektheinsightsofthreeexperi-
continued, page 5
continued, page 2
AdvocateThe
2
therearethoseinoursocietytodaywhoseektodiminishtheimportanceofthisconcept,while theydemean“activistjudges”orthosewhowouldsuggestthereexistsathirdbranchofgovernment,inadditiontotheexecutiveandlegislativebranches. Our judicialsystemisridiculedonanongoingbasis,withtriallawyersinparticularthesubjectofvenomousat-tacks.Everyyear theTrialLawyersSectioniscalledtodefenditsmembersagainstscurrilousaccusationsandigno-rantrantings.WhetheritisAmendment3,jointandseveralliability,capsondam-ages,thosewhowouldtakeadvantageoftheweakestamongusseektoprofitfromattacksonjudgesandlawyers.Butwemust,andwill,continuetodefendoursystem,andtocorrectthosewhowoulddiminishthatsystemthroughdistor-tionsandhalf-truths.Wedothisbecausenotonlyisittherightthing,butbecausethereareothers-clients, lawyersandjudges-whowillfollowus. JusticeO’Connorquotedfromapoemaboutanoldmanwhowentalonganar-rowroad,acrossadeepchasm,andoverariver.Oncehewasacross,theoldmanstayedawhiletobuildabridgeoverthatchasm:
“Oldman,” saida fellowpilgrimnear,
“Youarewastingstrengthinbuild-inghere.
Yourjourneywillendwiththeend-ingday;
You never again must pass thisway.
Youhavecrossedthechasm,deepandwide,
Whybuildyou thebridgeat theeventide?”
Thebuilderliftedhisoldgrayhead.
“Good friend, in thepath Ihavecome,”hesaid,
“TherefollowethaftermetodayAyouthwhosefeetmustpassthis
wayThischasmthathasbeennaught
tomeTothatfair-hairedyouthmayapit-
fallbe.He,too,mustcrossinthetwilight
dim;
Goodfriend,Iambuildingthebridgeforhim.”
[The Bridge BuilderbyWillAllenDromgoole]
TheTrialLawyersSectionwillcon-tinuetobuildbridgestojustice,tofair-ness,toprofessionalism,toanevenbet-tertrialbar,andultimatelyabetterandmoredemocraticsociety.Afterall,thereareotherswhowillfollowus. IthasbeenanhonortoserveasChairoftheTrialLawyersSectionfor2005-06.IwouldliketothankmembersoftheExecutiveCouncilwhohaveworkedsohardonbehalfoftheSectiontoprovideeducationalopportunitiesforitsmem-bers invarioussubstantiveareas, toincreaseprofessionalism,andtoprotecttherightofFloridacitizenstoaccesstheircourts. Asdescribedinearliermessages,withthehelpofBuddyJacobsweappearedbe-foretheFloridaSupremeCourtregard-ingtheFloridaMedicalAssociation’sPetitiontoAmendtheRulesRegulatingTheFloridaBar(Amendment3).Threeofourmembers,twoofwhomareformerChairs,HowardCoker,TomMasterson,alongwithRandyOgden,helpedreviewandanalyzeAmendment3issuesandassistedindraftinganewRuleofPro-fessionalConduct,Rule4-1.5(f)(4)(B).Thenewrulewillallowvictimsofmedi-calmalpracticewhochoosetodosoto
waivetheAmendment3restrictionsonattorneysfeesinordertoobtaincounseloftheirchoice. BobMansbachchairedtheSection’sCLECommitteewhichcontinuedtopro-videcoursesdealingwithimportantis-suestotriallawyersincludingevidence,trialcertificationreview,trialadvocacy,anddiscovery.TheAdvancedTrialAd-vocacyWorkshop,held inGainesvilleduringMay,continuestoprovideanop-portunityforexperiencedtriallawyersto improvetheiradvocacyskillswiththebenefitandguidancefromsomeoftheleadingtriallawyersandjuristsinFlorida. Eileen Moss and Jonathan LynnchairedtheChesterBedellMockTrialCompetitionwhichwasagainheldattheMid-YearMeetinginMiami.Teamsfrom8Floridalawschoolscompeted,andthecompetitionwaswonbyateamfromtheStetsonLawSchool. TheHandbookonDiscoveryPractice,firstpublishedin1995,continuestobeupdatedannually.TheHandbookhasbeenendorsedbytheConferencesofCir-cuitandCountyJudgesandisrequiredreadinginFloridacourtrooms. TheSectionalsodevelopedtheGuide-lines forProfessionalConductwhichhave been disseminated to lawyerssince1994.TheseGuidelinesprovidedirectionstolawyersintheireffortstozealouslyrepresenttheirclientswhilemaintainingprofessionalism.BoththeGuidelinesandtheHandbookcanbefoundattheTrialLawyersSectionweb-site (www.flatls.org),whichhasbeenupgradedundertheguidanceofFrankBedell.Otheritemsof interestonthewebsiteincludeinformationaboutCLEprograms,membership,discoverysanc-tionorders,formreleases,andThe Advo-cate,thequarterlynewslettereditedbyProfessorMichaelFlynn.WecontinuetobeindebtedalloftheabovemembersaswellastoProfessorFlynnfortheirhardworkonbehalfoftheSection. ToBradPowers,theincomingChair,andBobPalmer,Chair-Elect, Iwishsmoothsailingandsuccess.TheSec-tionwillcontinuetoprosperunderyourleadership. AspecialthankstoConnieStewartofTheFloridaBar forherefforts inmakingtheSectionrunsmoothly.Thishasbeenadifficultyear forConnie,whohasexperiencedhealthproblems,andweappreciateherverymuch.Andfinally,thankyouforthehighhonorofbeingpermittedtoserveasChairoftheFloridaBarTrialLawyersSection.
CHAIR’S MESSAgEfrom page 1
The Advocate ispreparedandpublishedbytheTrialLawyersSectionofTheFloridaBar.
MarkP.Buell,Tampa....................................................................................ChairBradleyE.Powers,Tampa...................................................................Chair-electRobertC.PalmerIII,Pensacola............................................................ SecretaryThomasD.Masterson,St.Petersburg.............................. ImmediatePastChairMichaelFlynn,Ft.Lauderdale................................................................... EditorConnieStewart,Tallahassee..........................................ProgramAdministratorDanaMontenieri............................................................GraphicsDesign/Layout
StatementorexpressionsofopinionarethoseoftheeditorandcontributorsandnotofTheFloidaBarortheSection.
�
continued, next page
Computer Forensics: The New, Must-Have SkillBy gerry Blackwell*
When it comes togatheringevi-dence,there’sawholenewworldoutthere.Thebusinessofextractingdatafromcomputers–moreandmoreasourceofinformationthatwinscases–isbecomingavitalskillthatprac-titionersignoreattheirperil. Ifyou’reacommerciallitigatororcriminallawyerspecializinginwhite-collarcrimeandyou’veneverhadacaseinwhichatleastsomeoftheevi-dencewastobefoundoncomputers,youareinatinyminority.Computershavebecomethatcentraltothewaywedobusinessandthewayweliveourlives. Computerforensics,theartofmin-ingdatafromcomputersandanalyz-ing it to comeupwithevidence incriminalandcivilcases,isbecomingacrucialparalegalskill.ComputerconsultantRichardMorochove,presi-dentofToronto-basedMorochove&Associates,Inc.,hasseenhisforensicspracticetakeoffinthelastfewyears.Yetheremainsoneof the fewwhoprovidesuchservices. Lawyers,Morochovesays,needtoknowhowandwhen toworkwithforensics experts.“There tends tobeabitofmystiqueaboutit–it’sal-most likewhathappens inablackbox.”Andwhilecomputer forensicsisn’trocketscience,hesays,therearesomethings lawyerswoulddowelltolearnaboutinordertoassisttheirclients. Not that theyneed toor shouldtrytobecomecomputerforensicsex-pertsthemselves.“Unlesstheyhavespecifictraining,it’sprobablynotthebestuseof their time.”Morochovesays.“It’s likemedicalmalpracticelawyers–theymay lookatmedicalreports,andyouwanttohavesomefamiliaritywiththedata,butnotingreatdetail.” Morochovewasfirst called inoncases10yearsagoby lawyerswhohadconsultedwithhimabout set-tingupofficecomputersystems.Theydidn’tknowanybodyelsetheycouldturnto.Computerforensicswasthen,andtosomeextendstillis,afledglingspeciality.Hisclientssincethenhave
comebywordofmouth,althoughherecently launchedanewsectiononhisWebsitetopromoteandexplainhiscomputerforensicswork. ThefirstcasesrequiredbothMoro-chove’scomputerandaccountingex-pertise.(Hewastrainedinaccountingandisstillacharteredaccountant.)Thosemattersinvolvedsuitsbroughtbycompaniesagainstex-employeeswho had stolen accounting data,customer listsandpricing informa-tionbeforeleavingthecompany,andwerenowusingitillegallytocompeteagainsttheirformeremployers.
Mining data from computers is a burgeoning
cottage industry
Hehassubsequentlyworkedonavarietyofcasesthatinvolveanalyz-ingaccounting,e-mail,instantmes-saging (IM) andWeb server data.Morochoveworkswith counsel forplaintiffsordefendantsincivilcasesandcounselfordefendantsincrimi-nalcases. Headvisesongatheringdata, analyzes thedata to extractevidenceandappearsincourtasanexpertwitness. Morochoveurgeslawyerstocallinaforensicsspecialistearlyinacase.Hisprospectiveclientstoooftenleaveitso latethathedoesn’thavetimetodo theanalysis required,whichcantakeanywherefromadayorso,
inrarecases,toafewweeks.Whenworkingwithplaintiffs,hewillstartbyanalyzingpreliminaryevidence–oftennotmuchmorethansuspicionthatsomethingisamiss–andadviselawyersonwhetherthey’relikelytobeabletofindenoughforensicsevi-dencetomakeasolidcase. In thecivil casesagainst formeremployeessuspectedofstealingcom-petitivedata,plaintiffs sometimesheardrumorsfrompeopleinthein-dustryorfromtheirownemployees.“Orsometimestheysay,‘Gee, theseguysare competingagainstus toowell.It’sliketheyhaveinsideknowl-edge.’”SometimesMorochovehastotell them it could justaseasilybecoincidence,othertimestheevidenceismorecompelling.Morochovewantstobeinvolvedearlywhenhisclientisrepresentingaplaintiffsothathecanprovideinput. Thefirstchallengeistoconvinceajudgethatadiscoveryorderiswar-ranted.Todothat,it’sbesttobefairlypreciseaboutwhatyouexpecttofind.“You’renotallowedtogoonafishingtrip,”Morochovenotes.“So ratherthantryandmakeapell-mellgrabforeverything,concentrateonareaswhereyouthinkyoucangetinforma-tionyouneedtosupportthecase.” It’salsoimportanttoknowasmuchaspossibleaheadoftimeaboutthekindofcomputersandsoftwarethedefendantusesandwheretheyarelo-cated.Someoftheevidence,henotes,
Are drugs or alcohol causing a problem in your life?
Are you overcome by depression?Completely confidential
help is available.(Ch. 397.482-486, F.S. 2002)
Call Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc.
1-800-282-8981
4
COMPuTER FORENSICSfrom previous page
maybeoncomputersat thehomesof corporateofficers.Theplaintiff ’sITstaffmaybeabletoprovidesomeinformationaboutcomputersystemsusedandlocations,ordiscreetinqui-riescanyieldinformation. Scheduletheexecutionofadiscov-eryorder forearlymorning,head-vises.Findingtheevidencecantakeawholeday,anddefendants takenoffguardofteninsistonhavinglegalcounselpresent,whichcandelaythestart of the proceedings – thoughpoliceorasheriff, ifnecessary,willensure that all computer activitystopsintheoffice. Oncethedataiscollected,it’sessen-tialthatthelawyerbeabletogiveafo-rensicsexpertcleardirectiononwhattypeof information isbeingsought.“Youcanhavemoundsandmoundsofcomputerinformation–megabytesorgigabytes,”Morochovesays.“Thelaw-yercan’tjusttossoutafewCDsandsay,‘analyzethis.’Itmighttakeweeksormonths[todoitthatway].Youhave
tohaveafocus.Soaskyourself,whatarethequestionsthatyouwouldlikeansweredaboutthisdata?” SometimesMorochovecansuggestthingstolookforthatmightnotoccurtoalawyer.Inonecase,forexample,Morochovewasaskedtoanalyzethetranscriptofan instantmessagingexchange,supposedlyautomaticallygeneratedbytheIMprogram,andtogiveanexpertopiniononwhetheritwasgenuineormighthavebeenfal-sified.Hisclienthopedtoshowthatthe transcript couldn’tbegenuinebecauseitwasn’tintherightformat.Thetroublewas, it lookedperfectlylegitimate.However,whenMorochovedidalittleresearchontheprogram,hediscoveredthedocumenthadtobeafakebecausetheprogram’sautomatictranscript featurewasn’tavailablewhen theexchangewasalleged tohavetakenplace. Whenworkingforadefendant,acomputerforensicsexpertcansome-timeshelpthelawyerpickholesintheotherside’spositionbasedonfaultyinterpretationsofthecomputerevi-dence.Inonewrongfuldismissalcase,
forinstance,theemployerclaimedthepersonhadbeenfired forcausebe-causehewascaughtwithpornograph-icimagesonhisofficecomputer.Coun-sel for theemployershowedampleevidencethattherewerepornographicimagesonthecomputerandthatthiswasproofoftheemployee’sculpabil-ity.Morochovepointedoutthattherewere12otheraccountsonthesamecomputer forother individualswhousedit.Anyofthemcouldhaveputtheimagesthere. Beingabletofindtherightcom-puter-basedevidenceandinterpretitcorrectlycan,inmoreandmorecases,mean thedifferencebetweenwin-ningandlosing.LawyersaregoingtoneedpeoplelikeMorochove.Bigfirmsshouldbedevelopingthemin-house.Smaller firms canuse themethodfavoredbyhisearly clients: findacomputerexpertandteachhimorherhowtoapplyhisorherexpertiseinthelaw.__________________*This article reprinted with per-mission from Canadian LawyerMagazine(C).
JOIN THE FLORIDA BAR’S LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICEDuring2003,TheFloridaBarLawyerReferralStaffmadeover133,000referralstopeopleseekinglegalassistance.LawyerReferralServiceattorneyscollectedover$5.5millioninfeesfromLawyerReferralServiceclients.
The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service: • Providesstatewideadvertising • Providesatoll-freetelephonenumber • Matchesattorneyswithprospectiveclients • Screensclientsbygeographicalareaandlegalproblem • Allowstheattorneytonegotiatefees • Providesagoodsourcefornewclients
NOTE:IfyourofficeisinBaker,Broward,Clay,Collier,Duval,Escambia,Franklin,Gadsden,Hillsborough,Jefferson,Leon,Liberty,Nassau,Okaloosa,Orange,PalmBeach,Pinellas,SantaRosa,Wakulla,WaltonorWestPascocounties,pleasecontactyourlocalbarassociationlawyerreferralserviceforinformation.
INTERESTED?PLEASECOMPLETE,CLIPANDMAILTODAYFORMOREINFORMATION.
PleasesendmeanapplicationandinformationaboutTheFloridaBarLawyerReferralService.
Name:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip:_________________________________________________________________________________________________
MAILTO:TheFloridaBarLawyerReferralService,651E.JeffersonStreet,Tallahassee,FL32399-2300.TheapplicationcanalsobedownloadedfromTheFloridaBar’swebsiteatwww.FLABAR.org, orcallTheFloridaBarLawyerReferralServiceat1-800-342-8060,[email protected].
�
continued, next page
VANISHINg CIVIL TRIALSfrom page 1
enced trial judges (one federalandtwostate)as towhetherthis trendisapparenttothem,andifso,whattheydiagnoseasitscauses.
MARK W. BENNETTThe jury system is thehand-maidoffreedom.Itcatchesandtakes on the spirit of liberty,and grows and expands withtheprogressof constitutionalgovernment.Rome,SpartaandCarthagefellbecausetheydidnot know it, let not EnglandandAmerica fallbecausetheythrewitaway. ----CharlesS.May4
The recent dramatic decline incivil jurytrials infederalcourtcer-tainlywouldhavebeenofconcerntoCharlesMayandoughttobeamat-terofgraveandurgentconcern forlawyers,litigantsfederaljudges,andcitizens.Thisprecipitousandshock-ingdrop incivil jury trials isevenmorestartlingbecausethenumberofauthorizedArticleIIIjudgesinthedistrictcourtshasmorethandoubledduring the sameperiod, from307in1962to665 in2002.5Asmycol-league,JudgeWilliamG.Young,haseloquentlywritten,“TheAmericanjurysystemiswitheringaway.Thisis themostprofoundchange inourjurisprudence in thehistoryof theRepublic.”6“Morethan200yearsagoJamesMadisonobserved,“Trialbyjury incivil cases isasessential tosecure the libertyof thepeopleasanyoneofthepre-existentrightsofnature.”7IfMadisoniscorrect,giventhepassageof theSeventhAmend-mentin1789,howdidwegetintothisprecariouspredicamentinjustafewshortyears?Moreimportantly,whatneedstobedonetobreathenewlifeintotrialbyjury? Thelistofculpritsinthelegallit-eratureallegedlyresponsibleforthevanishingcivil jurytrial issurpris-ingly long,but includes“theusualsuspects.”Forexample,apolloftheleadershipfotheAmericanCollegeofTrialLawyersproducedthefollowingrepresentativelist,intheordermostfrequentlymentioned:IncreaseduseofADR,risinglitigationcosts,risingstakes/amountsat issue, increasing
use of summary judgment, uncer-taintyof outcome, judges’ viewsoftheirroleascasemanagers,manda-torysentencingguidelines, stricterrequirements for expert evidencepost-Daubert, lack of trial experi-enceamongjudges,tortreform,lackof judicial resources, andexternalmarket constraints.8Space limita-tionspermitcommentononlyafewofthese“suspects.”
Is the American jury trial withering away?
First, IhaveneverbeenahugeproponentofADR–especiallycourt-mandatedADR–andIbelieveithasbecometheciviljurytrial’snumberone enemy.WhileADR has manysplendidqualities, it is, inmyview,thesinglegreatestcauseoftheaddi-tionoftriallawyerstotheendangeredspecieslist.Trialstrategyandrefine-mentof jurytrialskillsarequicklybecomingrelicsofabygoneera.Theatrophyoftrialadvocacyskillsamongexperienced trial lawyersand theinability of inexperienced lawyerstogain invaluable trial experiencevirtuallyensuresthattherewillbenonextgenerationof trial lawyersasweknowthem. Indeed, lawyersnowdescribe themselvesas“litiga-tors” rather than“trial lawyers,”9
and anABA study recently noted
“thatagrowingnumberof lawyerswhodescribethemselvesaslitigatorshavescant,ifany,actualtrialexpe-rience.”10Thischange innomencla-turereflectsaparadigmshiftawayfromtrialbyjurytowardsexpensive“litigating,”oftenwiththeaimofulti-matelyresolvingthedisputethroughADRratherthanbyjurytrial.Whileitistruethattrialbyjuryhasneverbeentheprimarymethodforresolv-ingcivillitigation,ADRhashasteneditsdemise. Second,massivepre-trialdiscov-eryhasbecome the financial life-bloodof“litigators.”Iwonderiftheenormouscostof thispre-trialdis-coveryactually scaresoff litigantsfromgoingtotrial?Arethelitigantsthenpressured intoADRby their“litigators,”whoareoftenscaredtogototrial,havingspentsomuchofthe clients’money,butpossessingso little current trial experience?Mightthisexplainthephenomenon,whichIamsureallexperiencedtrialcourtjudgesobserve:tough-talking,take-no-prisoners“litigators”whosuddenlycave inandsettleas thetrialdateapproaches?Whatdoesitsayabout trialpractice thatmanypartners in litigation practices ofsmall,mid-sized,andlargelawfirmshaven’tactuallytriedajurytrialinyears? Third,Ithinkthatthetrendaway
Federal CourtPracticeManual2006
Now On CD!!!
Please contact Gerry Rose at [email protected] or 850-561-5706 for more information or to obtain your copy.
6
fromjurytrialstowardanewfocusonexpensivediscoveryandsummaryjudgmenthasbeenfueledbythecom-plicityoffederaltrialandappellatejudges.The rise of summary judg-mentasameansof trialavoidancehas been made easier by the U.S.SupremeCourt’strilogyofdecisionsin1986,sothatsummaryjudgmentisnowtheHolyGrailof“litigators.”Inmyview,trialandappellatejudgesengage inthedailyritualofdocketcontrol by uttering too frequentlytheincantation,“Wefindnomaterialquestionoffact.”11Indeed,whileweallhearsomuchabouttheso-called“litigationexplosion,” it is interest-ingtonotethat from1962to2002,civiltrialsinfederalcourtspermil-lion persons in the United Statesfellby49percent.12Whatdoesitsayaboutjudges’attitudestowardtrialsthattheaveragefederaldistrictcourtjudgelastyearhadonly19trials(andthatincludescriminalcases–anotherphonywhippingboyforthedeclineinciviltrials)? Attheriskofbeingbluntandoverlysimplistic,hereisthenuboftheprob-lem:Litigationhasbecomefartooex-pensive,and,asaresult,lawyerstryfarfewercases.Withadramaticallydiminishingcivil jury trialbar, thedeterminationof thevalueofcasesisoftenlefttoADR“neutrals,”someofwhomarenon-lawyersandmanyofwhomhavenevertriedacase.Wenowfindourselvesinaneverfasterdownwardspiral,inwhichinexperi-enced“trial” lawyerssettlecases inADRwithno real experience fromwhichtogaugethevaluethatajurywouldplaceontheircase.Inexperi-encebreedsfearand,thus,thefearofgoingtotrialputsaddedpressureonthedownwardspiraloffewertrials.Addtothismixthefactthatfederaltrialcourtjudgesplacefartoomuchpressurefartoooftenonlitigantsandlawyerstosettletheircases,andtheresultisthisextraordinarycrisis:thevanishingciviljurytrial. Asacollectivelegalcommunity,weneedtofindthoughtfulwaystodra-maticallyreducethecostofdiscoveryandsummaryjudgment.Wealsoneedtostreamlinetheprocessforgettingcivil cases to trial.While Iamnotsuggestingeliminatingalldiscovery,
As thenumbers in the table in-dicate, the civil trial rate (includ-ingbothbenchand jurytrials)hasranged froma“high”of1.4percentofallcivilfilingstoalowof1percentoverthepastfiveyears.Reliablesta-tisticalinformationfromprioryearsisnotreadilyavailable.Anecdotally,though,senior judgesonourbenchreportanoticeabledecline in civiltrialsoverthepast20years. Inter-estingly most do not bemoan thistrend. Ourcourt’sexperienceisnotatypi-cal.Norisitlimitedtociviltrials.Ourcriminaltrialratehasdroppedevenmoreprecipitouslyduringthesametimeperiod.16Thefocusforthisissueistheciviltrial,butthereseemstobea“biggerpicture”toexplore.Perhapstherearemoreglobalexplanationsforwhyfewercasesofanytypearegoingtotrialthesedays. Reasonsforthedeclineinciviltri-alshavebeenexploredandwell-ar-ticulatedbyothers.EnhanceduseofADRisnodoubtasignificantfactor.Whilesomequestionthewisdomofthisshift,Arizona’shighestcourthasactivelyfosteredtheevolutionofADRinthecivilarena.17Wealsorequirecourt-sponsoredarbitrationof civilcasesinvolvingmonetaryclaimsfor$50,000orless.18
Additionally, likemost jurisdic-tions, our courtshaveexpressedastrongpublicpolicyfavoringtheen-forcementofagreementstoarbitrate.Arbitration clauses have becomeubiquitous in consumer contractsand other types of private agree-ments.Civil judgesreportgrantinganincreasingnumberofmotionstoenforcesuchagreements–contribut-ingtothedecliningtrialrate.
raising thebar toobtainsummaryjudgmentandreturningto“trialbyambush,”suchaschememighthavesomeappealoverourpresentsystem.Federal trial court judgesneed toceasepressuring litigantsand law-yers to settle. No litigants shouldever feel that their trial judgewasnotwillingandeagertotrytheircase.Iamconfident that if federal trialcourtjudgesputasmuchenergyintocreativethinkingaboutspeedier,lessexpensiveciviljurytrials,inamore“userfriendly”trialenvironment,astheyhave intopressuring litigantstosettle,wecouldrestoretherightto trialby jury to itshistoricplacein theBill foRights.Failure todosowillspawndrasticconsequences,includingthewitheringawayofthetrialbarasweknowitandthelossofopportunitiesforhundredsofthou-sandsofpotentialciviltrialjurorstoservetheirnation.
Has mediation and arbistration replaced the jury trial in civil cases?
Thedeclineofciviltrialbyjuryinfed-eralcourtistragicandthelossofthis“stunningexperimentindirectpopu-larrule”13wouldbecatastrophicforthenation.AsJusticeGeorgeSuther-landobserved,“[T]hesaddestepitaphwhichcanbecarvedinmemoryofavanishedlibertyisthatitwaslostbe-causeitspossessorsfailedtostretchforthasavinghandwhileyettherewastime.”14Ibelievethatthereisstilltime;thequestionis,willwestretchforthasavinghand?(Seetableattopofpage)
MARgARET H. DOWNIE Theciviltrialvanishedlongagoinmanystatecourts.MaricopaCounty(Arizona)SuperiorCourtisnoexception.Asacourtservingthefourthmostpopulouscountyinthenation,15ourstatisticsreflectthattheciviltrialisarelativelyrarephenomenon:
FY2000
FY2001
FY2002
FY2003
FY2004
New Filings Trials Filings per trial Trial rate
31,258
28,052
31,188
35,956
37,422
452
366
375
357
394
69.2
76.6
83.2
10.7
95.0
1.4%
1.3%
1.2%
1.0%
1.1%
VANISHINg CIVIL TRIALSfrom previous page
�
continued, next page
Atthesametimewehaveattempt-edtodivertmorecasesintoADR,ourcourthasmadeaffirmativeeffortstoattractothertypesofcivil“custom-ers.”Thecomplexcivillitigationpilotprogram is one example.Adoptedby the Supreme Court ofArizonain2002,19itisanexperimentalpro-graminMaricopaCountydesignedtomoreeffectivelymanageandexpeditecomplex civil cases.One rationalefor theprogramis tokeepcases instatecourtthatmightotherwiseberemoved to federal court.Thepilotprogramisstill relativelynew,anditisunclearwhetherthesecomplexcaseswillultimatelyproceedtotrialinlargerproportionsthancivilcasesoverall. Anecdotally,ourciviljudgesreportthattheyaretryinglonger,morecom-plexcasestodaythaninyearspast.Classactionsandlargeconstructiondefectcaseshistoricallysettledshortof trial.That trend appears to bechanging. InMaricopaCounty,wehavehad several such casesgo tolengthyjurytrialsrecently.Perhapsjuryverdictswerenecessaryinorderforlawyersandpartiestohaveabet-tersenseofthe“goingrate”forsomeofthesecomplexcasesinnewerareasof law. Itwillbe interesting to seewhetherthistrendcontinues.Thesecaseshavebeenenormouslyexpen-sivetolitigateandtry.Theverdictstodatehavebeenrelativelymodest. Somehaveopinedthatincreasingcivildocketsareatleastpartiallytoblameforthedecreaseintrials.Thatexplanationhasa certain commonsenseappeal, ifnotempirical sup-port.Afterall, ifa judgehasmorecases tomanageanddecide,hisorhertrialavailabilityshouldtheoreti-callydecrease.Ontheotherhand,ourjurisdictionhasbeencommitted todelivering firm trialdates in civil
casesformorethanadecade.Whileit is challenging tomeet ths com-mitmentascasefilingmounts, it isstillthelocalcultureandexpectationthatcaseswillgototrialonthefirstscheduleddateandwithingeneraltimeparameters requestedby theparties.Moreover,as the statisticsinthetablereflect,ourtrialratehasremainedrelativelyunchanged,not-withstandingtheinfluxofnewfilingsand theabsence of anyadditionalciviljudges. Amongsomethereisrathersub-stantialjudicialennuiabouttheno-tionofthevanishingciviltrial.Andfromapurelypragmaticperspective,whyshould judgescare?If there isnotsufficientdemandforourprod-uct(i.e.,civiltrials),andifthemar-ketplace isprovidinganacceptablealternative,whywringourhandsandyearnforthe“goodolddays?”Maybethebettermousetraphasarrived.Trial judgescertainlyhaveenoughworktostaybusywithoutbeing intrialmore. Settingasidetheperspectiveofex-pediency,therearesomelegitimate,systemicreasonsforconcern–manyofwhichmycolleagueshavearticulat-ed.Onecommonly-cited“downside,”though, ringshollow inmyexperi-ence.AtleastinArizona,thecommonlawisdevelopingatanever-increas-ingrate,despitetherelativedearthofciviltrials. Theonlypointof trueconsensusseemstobethattheciviltrialisvan-ishing.Thejuryisstilloutonwhethertoembraceormournthistrend.LARRY C. ZERVOS Atarecentconvention,AlSobel,thedirectoroftheAmericanJudica-tureSociety,andIdiscussedtheper-sistentdecreaseinthenumberofciviljurytrialsinfederalcourtsandmoststatecourts.Atthetime,Iquestioned
whetheradecliningrateexistsinmystate,andifitdoesIwonderedifthatwouldbeabadthing. AfterIreturnedhomeIgatheredthebest information I couldaboutciviljurytrialratesinAlaska.20ThecasesIreviewedendedbetweenJulyof1986andJuneof2004.Thenum-berofcasestriedtoajuryfluctuatedovertheyearsinarelativelyconstantrangeuntil2002.Starting in2002andcontinuingforthenexttwoyears,thenumberoftrialsdecreasedeachyear.But over the19years I sur-veyed, therewasat leastoneotherthree-yearperiodwith consecutivedeclines inthenumberof trials.Sothejuryisstilloutaboutwhetherthedeclineinthenumberoftrialsthatstartedin2002willcontinue.
Without the looming prospect of a jury trial, will civil cases settle?
Butmyreviewdidyieldoneconsis-tent factor.Forall19years,onlyasmallpercentageof the civil casesfiledactuallyendedupbeforeajury.21Thereasonssofewcasesgototrialseemobvious.Mycolleaguesand Ipushsettlementearlyandoften.Wemakeourselvesavailabletoconductsettlementconferencesforeachother,andwehaveatalentedgroupofre-tiredjudgeswhosuccessfullymediatethemostdifficultcases. Inaddition,of course, there isastrongfinancial incentive tosettle.Asettledcaseavoidsthehighcostofgettingacasetotrial.Also,inAlaska,because of thebroad two-way fee-shiftingrules,asettledcaseavoidstheriskofanadverse judgmentonthemeritsandtheriskthattheloser
Visit The Florida Bar website:
www.FloridaBar.org
�
If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.
The Law Office ManagementAssistance Service of
The Florida Bar
CALL Toll-Free866/730-2020
???
mayfacealargedebttocoverapor-tionofthewinner’sattorney’sfees.22
Thesefactorshavealwaysdrivendecisions about whether to go totrial.Butitseemstomethatthecosttogeta case to trial isdemandingmoreattentiontodaythanithasinthepast.Damagecapskeepfallingundertortreform,23butaccordingtothelawyersItalkedtocostskeepris-ing.Toaddressthesechanges,courtsmayneed to revise theproceduralrules to further limitdiscoveryop-tions,lessentheneedforandreducethenumberofexperts,andshortenthetimebeforetrial. Besidethiscostissueandthefocusonsettlement,thereisanotherprob-lem that influences thenumberofcasesgoingtotrial:lawyershaveal-waysbeencautiousaboutjuries,butthatcautionhasturnedtodistrust.Plaintiffs’ lawyersbelieve that themediacoverageabouttortreformhasaffectedthepeoplewhositonjuries.Theybelieveprospectivejurorsthinkmostpersonalinjurycasesareakinto
thehotcoffeecaseandthatplaintiffs’lawyersaregreedyanddishonest.Lawyers fret that jurorswillworryabouttheeffectofaverdictontheirdoctor’sabilitytostayinbusinessorontheirinsurancepremiums. Defenselawyersdistrustjuriestoo.Theyagonizeover thepotential forarun-awayjury.Theybelievejurorswilloverreactandbasetheirverdictonemotionorotherfactorstheycan-notcontrol.Theyworrythatonedayit will be their case that will endupintheheadlinesandbecomethetopicforhandwringingbyinsuranceindustryexpertsandlegalcommen-tators. Butinmyviewtheseconcernsdonot take intoaccount the commonsensedecisionmakingexhibitedbythevastmajorityofjuries,andtheydonotaccuratelydepictwhathap-pensattrial.Ihavewatchedexperi-encedlawyersaddresstheseconcernsduringvoirdireandcapablyputthemtorest.Also,whiletheriskofarun--awayjuryalwaysexists,itdoesnotseem tobea large risk. In fact, apreliminarystudyofanAlaskadata-basethatincludedtheresultsforcivil
casesthatendedbetween1997and1999foundthatalthoughthereweresomedifferences,“judgmentamountsintortverdictcasesandsettlementamountsinthedatabaseresembledeachotherstrongly.”24
These factors, and others, haveworked to keep the percentage ofcivilcasesthatgotoajurylow.Ifitturnsoutthatthenumberof trialsisdeclininginAlaska,wewillhaveto look for thereasons.ButI thinkthedecline, if there isone,willnotbeprecipitousormuchofaproblemaslongasitisnotbasedonanunfairbargainingadvantage.Afterall,therewillalwaysbesometrials.Trialsarethebackstopthatsetsupsettlementineverycasefiled.Mostcaseswouldnot settlewithoutanapproachingtrial date, andwhenall effortsatresolution fail, as it surelywill insomecases,thejurywillbetheretoresolvethecase.
*.MarkW.Bennet is theChiefJudgeof theUntiedStatesDistrictCourtfortheNorthernDistrictofIowa.TheNorthernDistrictofIowaledthenation’s94districtsintrialsperjudgein2001and2002,andwassecondinthenationin2003.Inallthreeyears,ithadmorethantwicethenationalaverageoftrialsperjudge.([email protected])
**.MargaretH.DownieisajudgeontheMari-copa County Superior Court. ([email protected]).
***.LarryC.Zervos isa judgeon theSupe-riorCourtofAlaska. ([email protected]).
ThisArticleisreprintedwithpermissionfromJudicature(c).
Endnotes1Adecrease in criminal trialshasalsooc-curred,butissomewhatlesspronounced.Theforcesatworkmaybeconsiderablydifferent,however, between civil and criminal cases.Thisexchangeofviewswill focus solelyoncivilcases.2MarcGalanter,TheVanishingTrial:AnEx-aminationofTrialsandRelatedMatters inFederalandStateCourts,1J.EmpiricalLegalStud.459(2004).3 Brian J. Ostrom, et al., ExaminingTrialTrendsinStateCourts:1976-2002,1J.Empiri-calLegalStud.755(2004).4CharlesS.May,CommencementAddresstotheUniversityofMichiganLawSchool(Mar.1875)5MarcGalanter,TheVanishingTrial:AnEx-aminationofTrialsandRelatedMatters inFederalandStateCourts,1J.EmpiricalLegal
VANISHINg CIVIL TRIALSfrom previous page
�
Stud.500(2004).6WilliamG.Young,AnOpenLetter toU.S.DistrictJudges,50Fed.Law.30,31(2003)7 1Annals ofCong.454 (JosephGales ed.,1789).8AmericanCollegeofTrialLawyers,The“Van-ishingTrial”:TheCollege,TheProfession,TheCivilJusticeSystem,(October2004)9JohnH.Grady,TrialLawyers,LitigatorsandClients’Costs,4Litig.5,6(1978).10 Stephanie FrancisWard, No Place LikeCourt,ShrinkingTrialDocketsReduceLearn-ingOpportunities forYoungLitigators, 89A.B.A.J.62(200311Kampourisv.TheSaintLouisSymphonySociety,210F.3d845,850(8thCir.2000)(Ben-nett,ChiefJudge,sittingbydesignation,dis-senting) (lamentingtheoveruseofsummaryjudgmentandtheerosionoftherighttotrialbyjury).12AdministrativeOfficeoftheU.S.Courts,An-nualReportTableC-4(1962-2002)13WilliamG.Young,America’sCivilJuries...going,going,Gone?,4LegalNetworkNessNo.21(1998)(summarizingDeTocqueville’sviewofAmericanciviljuries,citingAlexisDeTocqueville,Democracy inAmerica,337-339(Schocken1sted.1961).
14AssociatedPressv.NLRB,301U.S.103,141,57S.Ct.650,81L.Ed.953(1937)(Sutherland,J.,dissenting).15Seehttp://www.census.gov/popest/countries/CO-EST2004-08.html.16Forexample, infiscalyear1999,3.8%ofour criminal caseswent to trial. In fiscalyear2004,theatratewas1.4%.Ourbenchofapproximately135 judicialoffices isdepart-mentalized. Thus,unlikethe federalcourts,thedrop in civil trials cannotbe linked toanydemandofbalancingacontemporaneouscriminaldocket.17See.e.g.,Rule16(g),Ariz.R.Civ.P. (PartiesmustpersonallyconferandreporttothecourtaboutADRandsettlementoptionswithin90daysofthefirstdefendant’sappearanceinacivilcase).AnotherexampleoftheemphasisonADR is theSupremeCourt ofArizona’srecentAdministrativeOrderNo.2005-32.Itimposesanaffirmativedutyonthepresidingjudgeofeachcountryto,“Identifyanddevelopprogramsthatprovidealternativemethodsfortheresolutionofcivildisputestowhichactionsmaybe relievedpursuant to theauthorityconferredbyRule16(g)oftheArizonaRulesofCivilProcedure...”18SeeA.R.S.§12-133;Rule72,etseq.,Ariz.
R.Civ.P.;Rule3.10,MaricopaCountyLocalRules.Infiscalyear2003,13.68%ofallnewcivilcaseswereassignedtocompulsoryarbi-tration.19SeeSupremeCourtofArizonaAdministra-tiveOrderNo.2002-107.20Alaska Court SystemAnn. Rep. (1986-2005).21Althoughitwasclearthatthepercentageswere low, theexactpercentageofcivil casesthatreachedajuryeachyearwasnotsoclear.Butmybestestimatebasedonthedataisthatonlyabout1.1%to3.5%of thosecases thatcouldgobeforeajuryactuallydidso.22AlaskaR.Civ.P.82(“Exceptasotherwiseprovidedbylaworagreedtobytheparties,theprevailingpartyinacivilcaseshallbeawardedattorney’sfeescalculatedunderthisrule.”)23AlaskaStat§09.17.010describesthelimitsfornon-economicdamagesandAlaskaStat§09.17.020describes the limitsonpunitivedamages.Thisyear,inabillawaitingthegov-ernor’saction, the legislature limitedclaimsbroughtagainsthealthcareproviders.SB67,24thleg.1stSess.(Alaska2005).24AlaskaJudicialCouncil,AnAnalysisofCivilCaseDataCollected fromSeptember1997-May1999at6(February2000).
Florida Bar Consumer Pamphlets Available The Florida Bar has a series of more than 50 pamphlets available for your law office, with some translated into Spanish and Creole.* Topics range from Divorce in Florida to Florida Powers of Attorney to Do You Have A Will? to Protecting Yourself Against The Unlicensed Practice Of Law.
Worried about where to put these valuable pamphlets?
Worry no more! The Florida Bar offers professionally styled, clear-styrene, display racks which hold 300+ pamphlets.
By placing these pamphlets in your waiting area, you provide accurate, up-to-date information, presented in easy to understand language, that your clients are certain to appreciate.
*A complete list of titles and charges is available at www.FloridaBar.org
Call now: 800/342-8060, ext. 5834
Buying Do You Legal Aid
10
IN TRIALMASTERS
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2006STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
TAMPA LAW CENTERTAMPA, FLORIDA
SPONSORED BYTHE FOUNDATION OF THE AMERICAN BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCATES AND
STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
PRESENTED BYTHE FLORIDA CHAPTERS OF
THE AMERICAN BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCATES
By attending this program you will witness:• � e “best of the best” trial lawyers;• Every presenter a past president of FLABOTA and / or FLABOTA
Trial Lawyer of the Year;• Direct/cross examinations of witnesses and experts before a real judge
and jury, complete with courtroom visuals;• Real-time jury deliberations broadcast live into the courtroom.
FEATURING SOME OF THE TRULY ELITE
TRIAL ATTORNEYS IN FLORIDA
A TRIAL DEMONSTRATIONIN AN AUTOMOBILE /
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTFROM OPENING STATEMENTS
TO JURY DELIBERATIONS
Webcast
or
In-person
11
of this year’s trial teams is a past FLABOTA President and / or past FLABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year. The mock trial demonstration is presented before a
presiding judge and a real jury, complete with witnesses, experts and courtroom visuals. The jury will render a verdict in the case, with real-time jury deliberations videocast into the courtroom.
This particular trial involves an automobile/motorcycle accident. The plaintiff is alleging permanent injury as a result of the defendant driving her station wagon in a negligent manner, causing the accident. The skills you will see demonstrated are applicable to virtually every other civil case. This is a program that will be of value to attorneys who are just beginning their trial practice, as well as the experienced attorney who will perhaps appreciate observing new ideas and methods.
An application has been submitted to The Florida Bar for 8.0 hours of General Credit, including certifi cation for 6.0 hours Business Litigation and 6.0 hours Civil Trial. Those who are requesting CLE credit outside of Florida will receive forms to apply for credit in those states. Please document this request on the registration form
■
CLE CREDIT
MASTERS IN TRIAL
■
SCOPE AND PURPOSE
The preservation of the civil jury trial - the embodiment
of the concept “Justice by the People” - is the primary purpose of the American Board of Trial Advocates. As faithful stewards of this constitutional right, the more than 6,200 members of ABOTA are divided between defense and plaintiff civil trial lawyers. By imposing high membership standards, ABOTA, made up of some of the leading trial lawyers in America, has earned the reputation as the “best of the best.”
Educating attorneys in the art of trial advocacy has been a primary goal of the Foundation of the American Board of Trial Advocates since its inception. The Foundation is pleased to partner with Stetson University College of Law in presenting this outstanding program. The Mastersin Trial shows how experienced trial lawyers conduct a trial - without war stories. Each and every member
■
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2006
at the new, state-of-the art
STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW
TAMPA LAW CENTER, TAMPA, FLORIDA
12
Opening StatementJohn L. Holcomb
Hill, Ward & Henderson P.A.Tampa, FL
Opening StatementMichael T. (Mick) Callahan
Callahan Martinez, LLCSt. Petersburg, FL
“This program was one of the most informative, professionally run, well instructed, and valuable CLE’s I have ever attended.”
“Best assembly of speakers I have ever seen in a seminar.”“It was very interesting to observe the skills and styles of 12 different lawyers - Nice
variety of litigation styles presented.”“I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to be exposed to so many excellent
trial attorneys.”“This seminar was exceptionally well done - one of the best I have ever attended on
‘practical trial issues.’”
■
COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS
■
PLAINTIFF TEAM■
DEFENSE TEAM
Direct/Cross-ExaminationsBill Wagner
Wagner, Vaughan, McLaughlin & Brennan
Tampa, FL
Herman J. RussomannoRussomanno & Borrello, P.A.
Miami, FL
John Edwin FisherFisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath,
Dickson, Talley & Dunlap, P.A.Orlando, FL
Eric HewkoThe Hewko Firm
North Palm Beach, FL
Closing ArgumentGary D. Fox
Stewart, Tilghman, Fox & Bianchi, P.A.Miami, FL
Direct/Cross-ExaminationsAddison J. (Sonny) Meyers
Mintzer, Sarowitz, Zeris, Ledva & Meyers, LLP
Coral Gables, FL
Benjamin J. Weaver, Jr.Harrell & HarrellJacksonville, FL
Terry C. YoungLowndes, Drosdick, Doster,
Kantor & Reed, P.A.Orlando, FL
Davisson F. Dunlap, Jr.Dunlap, Toole, Shipman & Whitney, P.A.
Tallahassee, FL
Closing ArgumentJoseph P. Milton
Milton, Leach, Whitman, D’Andrea, Charek & Milton, P.A.Jacksonville, FL
■
TRIAL COORDINATOR
Joshua A. WhitmanMilton, Leach, Whitman, D’Andrea,
Charek & Milton, P.A.Jacksonville, FL
■
PRESIDING JUDGE
The Honorable Nelly N. KhouzamCircuit Judge
6th Judicial CircuitClearwater, FL
1�
7:45 a.m. Registration8:15 a.m. Welcome and Overview of Trial
Joshua A. Whitman, Jacksonville Treasurer of FLABOTA
PRESIDING JUDGEHonorable Nelly N. Khouzam2002 FLABOTA Jurist of the Year
Circuit Judge, 6th Judicial Circuit, Clearwater, Florida
8:30 a.m. Opening StatementPlaintiff Michael T. (Mick) Callahan, St. Petersburg •Defense John L. Holcomb, Tampa •
9:15 a.m. Examination of PlaintiffDirect Bill Wagner, Tampa †Cross Addison J. Meyers, Coral Gables •Re-Direct Bill Wagner, Tampa †
10:00 a.m. Refreshment Break10:15 a.m. Examination of Plaintiff’s Expert
Direct Herman J. Russomanno, Miami •†Cross Benjamin J. Weaver, Jr., Jacksonville •Re-Direct Herman J. Russomanno, Miami •†
11:00 a.m. Panel Discussion on Strategy and Technique Panel Includes Trial Team Members
11:30 a.m. Lunch (on your own)
1:00 p.m. Examination of DefendantDirect Terry C. Young, Orlando •Cross John Edwin Fisher, Orlando †Re-Direct Terry C. Young, Orlando •
1:45 p.m. Examination of Defendant’s ExpertDirect Davisson F. Dunlap, Jr., Tallahassee •Cross Eric Hewko, North Palm Beach •Re-Direct Davisson F. Dunlap, Jr., Tallahassee •
2:30 p.m. Refreshment Break2:45 p.m. Closing Argument
Plaintiff Gary D. Fox, Miami •Defense Joseph P. Milton, Jacksonville •†Rebuttal Gary D. Fox, Miami •
3:45 p.m. Judge’s ChargeHonorable Nelly N. Khouzam
4:00 p.m. Jury DeliberationBroadcast Live to Audience and via webcast
5:00 p.m. Panel Discussion on Strategy and Technique Panel Includes Trial Team Members
5:30 p.m. Adjourn • Past President of FLABOTA † Past FLABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year
MASTERS IN TRIAL
■
THURSDAYJULY 27, 2006
14
REGISTRATION FORMNAME (MR./MS.):
FIRM:
ADDRESS:
CITY / STATE / ZIP:
PHONE: ( ) FAX: ( )
STATE BAR #: E-MAIL ADDRESS:
STATES FROM WHICH CLE CREDIT IS REQUESTED (OTHER THAN FL):
NAME FOR NAME BADGE
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2006STETSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW, TAMPA LAW CENTER
TAMPA, FLORIDA
Please mail or fax to: ABOTA Foundation, 2001 Bryan Street, Suite 3000, Dallas, TX 75201. Phone: (800) 779-5879; Fax: (214) 871-6025 www.abota.org
PROGRAM LOCATION: The Program will be held at the Stetson University College of Law, Tampa Law Center, 1700 North Tampa Street, Tampa, Florida 33602. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Westin Tampa Harbor Island Hotel, 725 South Harbour Island Blvd, Tampa, Florida 33602, at a rate of $119.00 plus tax per night. Please make your reservation by calling the hotel group sales department directly at (813) 229-5000 by June 28th. After that date the special rate may no longer apply.
Make check payable to: ABOTA Foundation or Charge to:
q Visa q MasterCard q American Express q Discover
CARD#: EXP. DATE:
NAME ON CARD: BILLING ZIP
SIGNATURE:
TuitionIn Person:q $380.00 per registrant
(A discounted rate of $280 per person will be offered to fi rms sending three or more attorneys to the program). Register by fax, mail, or on-line at www.abota.org/programs
On the Web:q $380.00 per registrant live Webcast. Register by fax or mail only: you will receive information
by email regarding sign-in and viewing for the Webcast, as well as downloading of materials.Refund Policy: Prepaid tuition minus a $40 administrative fee will be refunded only for
requests received in writing in the ABOTA Foundation offi ce by July 21, 2006.
q Program on Audio Cassettes – To order the complete program on audio tape and the case study book, enclose $180.00 to cover your order, check the box at the beginning of this paragraph, and complete the above form. (Allow 8 weeks from seminar date for processing.)
MASTERS IN TRIAL
■
A TRIAL DEMONSTRATION
1�
The
Foun
datio
n of
The
Am
eric
an B
oard
of T
rial A
dvoc
ates
2001
Bry
an S
tree
t, S
uite
300
0D
alla
s, T
exas
752
01w
ww
.abo
ta.o
rg
TH
UR
SDA
Y J
ULY
27, 2006
STET
SON
UN
IVER
SIT
Y C
OLL
EGE
OF
LAW
, TA
MPA
LA
W C
ENT
ERTA
MPA
, FL
OR
IDA
■ M
ore
tale
nt a
nd m
ore
expe
rienc
e th
an y
ou’ll
fi nd
any
whe
re a
t an
y pr
ogra
m!
■ E
very
pre
sent
er is
a p
ast
FLAB
OTA
Pre
side
nt a
nd /
or
past
FLA
BOTA
Tr
ial L
awye
r of
the
Yea
r.
■ A
rar
e op
port
unity
to
see
tria
l tec
hniq
ues
and
skill
s of
lead
ing
law
yers
. Yo
u w
ill s
ee a
full-
blow
n tr
ial d
emon
stra
tion
com
plet
e w
ith p
rem
ier
tria
l law
yers
, exp
erts
, witn
esse
s an
d ex
hibi
ts. A
lso, y
ou w
ill a
ctua
lly s
ee
and
hear
jury
del
iber
atio
ns.
■ D
on’t
mis
s th
is o
ppor
tuni
ty!
CLE
CR
EDIT
:A
n ap
plic
atio
n ha
s be
en s
ubm
itted
to
The
Flor
ida
Bar
for
8.0
hour
s of
Gen
eral
Cre
dit,
incl
udin
g ce
rtifi
catio
n fo
r 6.
0 ho
urs
Busi
ness
Liti
gatio
n an
d 6.
0 ho
urs
Civ
il Tr
ial.
Thos
e w
ho
are
requ
estin
g C
LE c
redi
t ou
tsid
e of
Flo
rida
will
rec
eive
for
ms
to
appl
y fo
r cr
edit
in t
hose
sta
tes.
Ple
ase
docu
men
t th
is r
eque
st o
n th
e re
gist
ratio
n fo
rm.
Non
-pro
fi t O
rg.
Post
age
PA
IDPe
rmit
#400
9D
alla
s, T
X
MASTE
RS IN
TRI
AL
■
A T
RIA
L D
EMO
NST
RATI
ON
Web
cast
or
In-p
erso
n
16
The Florida Bar6�1 E. Jefferson StreetTallahassee, FL �2���-2�00
PRESORTEDFIRST CLASS
U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDTALLAHASSEE, FL
Permit No. 43
