How and When to be your own Lawyer (Second Edition) - Lawsuits Trials Evidence Appeals

436 Pages·2000·22.576 MB·English

by  Robert W Schachner , Marvin Quittner esq

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO EFFECTIVELY USING OUR LEGAL SYSTEM
HOW AA | > W Hi) aN
TO BE 3 YYO URIX O WN
SE COND EIDN ITION
LAWSUITS ¢ TRIALS ° EVIDENCE ° APPEALS
Whether Pursuing an |
Action With an -_
Attorney or Pro Se,
Here’s How You Can |
Become a Better |
Informed and More |
Effective Participant |
in the Legal Arena
ROBERT W. SC"HHeA CHNER
with MARVIN QUI TTNER, ESO.
Qin LINE
347.735 Schachner, Robert W.
Sch
How and when to be
your own lawyer/
30 NOV 2000
WASHINGTON TWP. PUBLIC LIBRARY
37 EAST SPRINGTORWONAD
LONG VALLEY, NJ 07853
|
[phone]
BAKER & TAYLOR |
HOW AND WHEN
TO BE YOUR OWN
LAWYER
SECOND EDITION
ROBERT SCHACHNER
with MARVIN QUITTNER, £sQ.
AVERY PUBLISHING GROUP
arden City Park « New York
The information and opinions presented in this book are based upon the training,
personal experiences, and research of the authors. The publisher believes that it is
the right of citizens of this country to disseminate and obtain such information.
Readers should understand that there is no guarantee that any one approach will
always produce the desired outcome, for each person and situation is unique. It is
therefore urged by the publisher and authors that people always use caution and
responsibility in dealing with legal matters, including consultation with qualified
professionals. Readers who are in any doubt about their legal situation should seek
appropriate professional help. The publisher and authors take no responsibility for
any misunderstandings or outcomes resulting from anyone’s actions based upon the
information and opinions contained in this book.
Cover designer: Oscar Maldonado and Doug Brooks
Typesetter: Richard Morrock
In-house editor: Amy C. Tecklenburg
Printer: Paragon Press, Honesdale, PA
Avery Publishing Group
120 Old Broadway
Garden City Park, NY 11040
1-800-548-5757
http://www.averypublishing.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schachner, Robert W.
How and when to be your own lawyer : a step-by-step guide to
effectively using our legal system / Robert W. Schachner, Marvin
Quittner. — 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 8-89529-998-4 (pbk.)
1. Civil procedure—United States. 2. Pro se representation—
United States. I. Quittner, Marvin. II Title.
KF8841.S32 2000
347.73’ 5—de21
Copyright © 2000 by Robert W. Schachner and Marvin Quittner, Esq.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechani-
cal, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of
the copyright owner.
Printed in the United States of America
TOO SS 7 Gi See eet
Contents
Acknowledgments, vii
Preface to the Second Edition, ix
Preface to the First Edition, xi
. Understanding the System, 1
. Point of Decision, 19
. Using a Law Library, 37
. Proceeding Pro Se, 63
. Stopping the Clock, 89
The Kickoff, 97
. Discovery, 107
. Defensive Strategy, 119
. Safeguarding Your Claim: Documentation, 135
. Evidence, 147
—. Offensive Action, 171
. Damages, 189
. Settlement Strategy, 207
. Mediation and Arbitration, 223
. Pretrial Procedures, 245
. Conducting Your Trial, 261
. Reconsideration—Appeals, 293
. Civil Enforcement (Collecting a Judgment), 319
. Summation, 335
ecioeane et MN © OABiNH n W
Appendix I: Don’t Get Mad, Get Even, 361
Appendix IT: Anatomy of a Final Argument, 363
Appendix III: Hypothetical Case and Judge’s Instructions to Jury, 372
Appendix IV: Pretrial Stipulation, 377
Appendix V: Resources, 378
Glossary, 383
References, 395
Index, 399
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To Samuel Schachner; may he now rest in peace,
and to Alexander and Victoria with love.
And to my dearest Lynn.
And to Shelley, Lee, and Joy with love.
CREDITS
The opening quotation is from A Report on Self-Help Law: Its Many
Perspectives, a report sponsored by the American Bar Association Special
Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services © 1977 by the American Bar
Association. Reprinted by permission.
The excerpts on pages xi, 7-8, and 173 from Black’s Law Dictionary are
reprinted with the permission of West Publishing Company.
The quotation on page 1 is from from the musical Les Miserables, by Alain
Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain
Boublil © Alain Boublil Music Ltd. Reprinted by permission.
West Publishing Company’s key logo on page 49 is reprinted with the per-
mission of West Publishing Company.
The excerpt on page 60 is from Shepard’s Southern Reporter Citations,
Volume 2 (Part 3) 1986. © 1986 by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduced by permission of Shepard’s/McGraw-Hill. Further reproduction
is strictly prohibited.
The excerpt on page 238 is from Resolving Your Disputes. Reprinted by per-
mission of the American Arbitration Association.
The excerpt on page 252 is from Art of Advocacy: Jury Instructions by S.
Baldwin, E. Davidson, and J. Lynch, Jr. Copyright © 1992 by Matthew
Bender & Co., Inc. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
The excerpt on page 253 is from Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Civil
Cases, published by CLE Publications, the Florida Bar, Tallahassee, FL
32399-2300. Reprinted by permission.
The excerpts on pages 271-272, 290, and 291 are from The Fundamentals of
Trial Techniques © 1988 by Thomas Mauet. Reprinted by permission of
Little, Brown and Company.
The excerpts on pages 355-356 are from Art of Advocacy—Preparation of
the Case by David Baum. Copyright © 1992 by Matthew Bender & Co., Inc.
Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgment is gratefully extended to the following attorneys, all of
whom have had a profound influence on my life and thinking: Robert Raphael,
Esq., who said after my first pro se appearance in court, “You won your first
case”; George Hoffman, Esq., who taught me that David could slay Goliath;
Vincent Bisogino, Esq., for teaching me that knowledge of the law does not
automatically translate into success; Leonard Korobkin, Esq., who taught me
that there is no honor among thieves; Harold Greenberg, Esq., who allowed me
to work with him, side by side, ’til the wee hours of the morning; Melvin S.
Slade, Esq., who taught me the meaning of “a captive of industry (or bank-
ing)’; Daniel Brashis, Esq., a lawyer who knows how to fly with hijackers, but
not how to walk with clients; Irving Boigen, Esq., a gentleman and a brilliant
and compassionate lawyer; Harvey Thomas McLain, Esq., a friend and true
captain of industry and commerce; Robert Garven, Esq., for his knowledge of
the appellate system; Jerry Pollack, Esq., for teaching me that I needed to
develop the skills of self-help law; Martin Sandler, Esq., for teaching me the
need to understand malpractice law; Wayne Carson, Esq., for proving to me
that attorneys do not belong on pedestals; and especially to my co-author,
teacher, associate, and friend Marvin Quittner, Esq., for his knowledge.
I must also acknowledge Barbara Klemm for her dedicated research and
assistance; United States Congressman Thomas Bevill; Federal Judge (ret.)
Miles Lord; Federal Judge Brian B. Duff; Clerk of the Federal District Court
Mr. Jan Horbaly; Judge Blanche Wahl; Judge Paul M. Marko III; Judge
Barry Seltzer; Judge William H. Conner; Judge Robert C. Scott; Robert
Coulson, President of the American Arbitration Association; a special friend,
Clerk of the Broward County Court, Robert L. Lockwood; Professor Russell
Engler of the New England School of Law; and the Nova University Law
Library and staff.
I would also like to thank my editor, Amy C. Tecklenburg, for her expert-
ise and further help.
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