Deposition

Former ‘The Apprentice’ contestant drops defamation suit against Trump with no compensation

Former The Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos has dropped her lawsuit alleging that former President Donald Trump defamed her when he denied her allegations of unwanted groping and kissing.

Nov 15, 2021 10:55 AM CST

Lawyer is disbarred after accusations of ‘pervasive incivility’ and ‘reckless indifference to the law’

A lawyer has been disbarred in Maryland following the same disposition in Virginia for rejecting settlement offers without a client’s consent and demonstrating “pervasive incivility.”

Oct 27, 2021 9:33 AM CDT

Lawyer accused of feeding answers to his client in Zoom deposition faces possible sanction

A Boston lawyer has been ordered to show cause why he shouldn’t face further sanctions for allegedly taking advantage of a Zoom deposition to secretly whisper answers to his client.

Oct 11, 2021 3:40 PM CDT

Public defenders say modified ShotSpotter coordinates were used to implicate client; is it a widespread problem?

Updated: Gunshot detection technology known as ShotSpotter has been used as evidence in 190 court cases even as some critics raise questions about the technology.

Jul 27, 2021 11:24 AM CDT

Judge chides lawyers for ‘tit-for-tat squabbles’ and ‘shenanigans,’ sanctions one for shut-up command

A federal magistrate judge in Florida has criticized two lawyers for “needless and inappropriate bickering” during depositions and sanctioned one of them partly for telling the opposing counsel to “shut the f- - - up.”

Jun 15, 2021 2:42 PM CDT

Evidential essentials: How witnesses can make or break a case

It was a cold Canadian winter morning. But let me get back to that in a moment. The success of your case often gets down to three things: witnesses, witnesses and witnesses. Good advocacy helps, too, but that generally means marshaling good witnesses.

Apr 15, 2021 10:04 AM CDT

Marvel CEO seeks punitive damages for alleged theft of his DNA during a deposition

Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter is seeking punitive damages against Chubb insurance for allegedly facilitating a DNA theft during a deposition. Perlmutter alleges an in-house lawyer for a Chubb subsidiary subpoenaed Perlmutter and his wife, Laura, to a deposition with the aim of secretly collecting their DNA. The genetic material…

Mar 3, 2021 3:30 PM CST

How will the ‘Anthony Fauci effect’ influence jurors?

Lawyers and jury consultants are considering whether the COVID-19 pandemic will influence juror attitudes in what Law.com is dubbing the “Anthony Fauci effect.”

Feb 4, 2021 11:04 AM CST

Tales of double-crossing, big egos and cattle brands swirl around Gerry Spence lawsuits

Over the years, many attorneys shelled out thousands of dollars to spend three weeks in a converted Wyoming cattle ranch described as “spartan,” with no cellphone service, so they could listen and learn from the self-proclaimed “greatest trial lawyer in history.” From all over the country, lawyers came to the Trial Lawyers College to learn from Gerry Spence, the famed litigator who claims to have never lost a criminal case.

Jan 21, 2021 3:02 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Execution carried out despite COVID-19 claim; 9 charged in Flint water crisis

COVID-19 claim doesn’t stop execution of drug trafficker Drug trafficker Cory Johnson was executed Thursday for his role in the slayings of seven people after the U.S. Supreme Court refused a delay request. Johnson’s lawyers had contended that he was intellectually disabled, and he was barred from execution. They also…

Jan 15, 2021 4:31 PM CST

‘You are not dicking around with a rookie;’ lawyer’s deposition ‘churlishness’ is memorialized

A federal magistrate judge has declined to impose a monetary sanction on a Montana lawyer who told opposing counsels that they are “not dicking around with a rookie” and suggested that he could get on a plane to personally punch one of them in the head.

Dec 17, 2020 10:57 AM CST

Sanctions upheld for lawyer who included an original haiku in filing and cited Bugs Bunny

A federal appeals court has upheld sanctions imposed on a lawyer who filed “lengthy and superfluous filings” in a dispute with his brother, including a brief that was “littered with exclamation points and rants.”

Dec 16, 2020 11:39 AM CST

Having a hard time connecting with your witness? Try these tips

You're a plaintiffs attorney with a promising tort case, but getting the narrative evidence you need from a particular witness is like squeezing blood from a stone. How can you get through to them and help ensure that your client gets the damages needed for long-term care? The real problem might be that your communication styles are fundamentally different, says author and trial consultant Katherine James.

Nov 11, 2020 9:03 AM CST

Lawyer accused of threat to have opposing counsel’s ‘rear end sanctioned’ faces ethics complaint

A Florida insurance defense lawyer is accused of unprofessional conduct toward opposing attorneys and a litigant, including a threat to have an opposing counsel’s “rear end sanctioned” over objections made during a deposition.

Oct 21, 2020 12:36 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Actor Jussie Smollett’s prosecutors are reviewed; enhanced protection is recommended for judges

No crimes by prosecutors found in Jussie Smollett case Special prosecutor Dan Webb has found “substantial abuses of discretion” but no criminal wrongdoing by prosecutors who dropped charges against actor Jussie Smollett, who was on the TV show Empire. He was accused of orchestrating a hate crime attack on himself.…

Aug 17, 2020 4:51 PM CDT