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Litigation and Trial Practice PDF

739 Pages·2006·4.12 MB·English
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L T P ITIGATION AND RIAL RACTICE S E IXTH DITION WEST LEGAL STUDIES Options. Over 300 products in every area of the law: textbooks, CD-ROMs, reference books, test banks, online com- panions, and more – helping you succeed in the classroom and on the job. Support. We offer unparalleled, practical support: robust instructor and student supplements to ensure the best learning experience, custom publishing to meet your unique needs, and other benefits such as West’s Student Achievement Award. And our sales representatives are always ready to provide you with dependable service. Feedback. As always, we want to hear from you! Your feedback is our best resource for improving the quality of our products. Contact your sales representative or write us at the address below if you have any comments about our materials or if you have a product proposal. Accounting and Financials for the Law Office • Administrative Law • Alternative Dispute Resolution Bankruptcy • Business Organizations/Corporations • Careers and Employment • Civil Litigation and Procedure • CLA Exam Preparation • Computer Applications in the Law Office • Contract Law Court Reporting • Criminal Law and Procedure • Document Preparation • Elder Law • Employment Law • Environmental Law • Ethics • Evidence Law • Family Law • Intellectual Property • Interviewing and Investigation • Introduction to Law • Introduction to Paralegalism • Law Office Management Law Office Procedures • Legal Nurse Consulting • Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis • Legal Terminology • Paralegal Internship • Product Liability • Real Estate Law • Reference Materials Social Security • Sports Law • Torts and Personal Injury Law • Wills, Trusts, and Estate Administration West Legal Studies 5 Maxwell Drive Clifton Park, New York 12065-2919 For additional information, find us online at: www.westlegalstudies.com L T P ITIGATION AND RIAL RACTICE S E IXTH DITION W M. H ILLIAM ART R D. B ODERICK LANCHARD Australia Brazil Canada Mexico Singapore Spain United Kingdom United States WEST LEGAL STUDIES Litigation and Trial Practice, Sixth Edition by William M. Hart and Roderick D. Blanchard Vice President, Career Education Director of Production: Director of Marketing: Strategic Business Unit: Wendy A. Troeger Wendy E. Mapstone Dawn Gerrain Content Project Manager: Marketing Channel Manager: Acquisitions Editor: Matthew J. Williams Gerard McAvey Shelley Esposito Cover Design: Marketing Coordinator: Managing Editor: Suzanne Nelson Jonathan Sheehan Robert Serenka, Jr. Cover Images: Senior Product Manager: Comstock Images/Alamy Melissa Riveglia Dennis MacDonald/Alamy Keith Levit/Alamy COPYRIGHT © 2007 Thomson Delmar All rights reserved. No part of this work Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Learning, a part of The Thomson covered by the copyright hereon may Publication Data Corporation. Thomson, the Star logo, be reproduced or used in any form or and Delmar Learning are trademarks by any means—graphic, electronic, or Blanchard, Roderick D. used herein under license. mechanical, including photocopying, Litigation and trial practice / Roderick recording, taping, Web distribution or D. Blanchard, William M. Hart.—6th ed. Printed in the United States information storage and retrieval sys- p. cm. 1 2 3 4 5 XXX 10 09 08 07 06 tems—without written permission of Rev. ed. of: Litigation and trial the publisher. practice for the legal assistant / For more information contact Delmar Roderick D. Blanchard, Robert S. Learning, For permission to use material from this Blanchard. 5th ed. c2001. 5 Maxwell Drive, Clifton Park, NY text or product, Includes bibliographical references 12065-2919 contact us by and index. Tel (800) 730-2214 ISBN 1-4180-1689-6 Or find us on the World Wide Web at Fax (800) 730-2215 1. Civil procedure--United States. www.delmarlearning.com or www.thomsonrights.com 2. Trial practice--United States. 3. Legal www.westlegalstudies.com assistants--United States--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Hart, William M. II. Blanchard, Roderick D. Litigation andtrial practice for the legal assistant. III. Title. KF8840.B53 2006 347.73'5--dc22 2006014187 NOTICE TO THE READER Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the products described herein or perform any independent analysis in connection with any of the product information contained herein. Publisher does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any obligation to obtain and include information other than that provided to it by the manufacturer. The reader is notified that this text is an educational tool, not a practice book. Since the law is in constant change, no rule or state- ment of law in this book should be relied upon for any service to any client. The reader should always refer to standard legal sources for the current rule or law. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of the appropriate professional should be sought. The Publisher makes no representation or warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the warranties of fitness for partic- ular purpose or merchantability, nor are any such representations implied with respect to the material set forth herein, and the pub- lisher takes no responsibility with respect to such material. The publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or ex- emplary damages resulting, in whole or part, from the readers’ use of, or reliance upon, this material. B C RIEF ONTENTS CHAPTER1: LITIGATIONPRINCIPLES 1 CHAPTER2: LAWYERANDCLIENTRELATIONSHIPANDETHICS 29 CHAPTER3: COURTORGANIZATION 47 CHAPTER4: CAUSESOFACTIONANDREMEDIES 78 CHAPTER5: AFFIRMATIVEDEFENSES 126 CHAPTER6: INTRODUCTIONTOFEDERALPROCEDURE: PARTIESANDPLEADINGS 142 CHAPTER7: GATHERINGEVIDENCE 178 CHAPTER8: EVIDENCE 199 CHAPTER9: CONDUCTINGANINVESTIGATION 234 CHAPTER10: EXPERTWITNESSES 262 CHAPTER11: INTERROGATORIES 284 CHAPTER12: ORALDEPOSITIONS 309 CHAPTER13: PREPARINGCLIENTFORDEPOSITION 359 CHAPTER14: MEDICALEXAMINATIONSANDRECORDS 387 CHAPTER15: INSPECTIONOFPROPERTY, DOCUMENTS, ANDTHINGS 425 CHAPTER16: REQUESTSFORADMISSIONS 438 CHAPTER17: MOTIONS 461 CHAPTER18: PREPARATIONFORTRIAL 492 CHAPTER19: STRUCTUREOFACIVILTRIAL 525 CHAPTER20: JUDGMENTS 558 CHAPTER21: APPEALS 568 CHAPTER22: SETTLEMENTS, RELEASES,ANDDISMISSALS 580 CHAPTER23: ARBITRATIONANDMEDIATION 600 APPENDIXA: TIMETABLEFORLAWYERSINFEDERALCIVILCASES A1 APPENDIXB: DEPOSITIONTRANSCRIPT A20 APPENDIXC: INTRAOFFICEMEMORANDA A40 GLOSSARY G1 INDEX I1 v This page intentionally left blank C ONTENTS Table of Exhibits xiii Preface xv A Personal Note xxii Hypothetical Case Study xxiv CHAPTER 1 LITIGATION PRINCIPLES 1 Chapter Objectives 1 A Claim Must Be Prosecuted as a Whole 17 Introduction 1 Combining Claims 18 Overview of Civil Litigation 2 Counterclaims and Cross-claims 18 Everyone Is Presumed to Know the Law 6 Third-party Claims 18 Legal Duty as a Basis for Claims 7 Assignment of Claims 19 Courts’ Authority 8 Res Judicata 20 Jurisdiction 9 Collateral Estoppel 20 Judges 10 Stare Decisis 21 Juries 10 Appellate Courts 22 Commencement of Lawsuit 11 Settlements 23 Remedies 12 Professional Ethics 23 Civil Penalties 12 Technology Notes 24 Declaratory Judgments 13 Summary 24 Litigation Expenses 14 Key Terms 27 Real Controversy 14 Review Questions 28 Real Party in Interest 14 Case Assignment 28 Necessary Parties 15 Endnotes 28 Representatives 16 CHAPTER 2 LAWYER AND CLIENT RELATIONSHIP AND ETHICS 29 Chapter Objectives 29 Court Officers 32 Introduction 29 Professional Responsibilities 32 Qualifications to Practice Law 30 Fiduciary Responsibility 34 vii viii CONTENTS Professional Ethics 34 Solicitation and Advertising 42 Conflicts of Interests 35 Attorney Pro Se 43 Lawyer-Client Privileged Communications 36 Technology Notes 43 Attorney Fees 39 Summary 44 Terminating the Relationship 40 Key Terms 45 Malpractice 41 Review Questions 46 Maintenance 42 Case Assignment 46 Champerty 42 Endnotes 46 CHAPTER 3 COURT ORGANIZATION 47 Chapter Objectives 47 Types of Verdicts 71 Introduction 47 Unanimous Verdict 73 District Courts 48 Technology Notes 73 Appellate Courts 49 Summary 73 Jurisdiction 50 Key Terms 76 Subpoenas 56 Review Questions 76 Federal Court Organization 61 Case Assignment 76 State Court Organization 64 Endnotes 77 Juries 65 CHAPTER 4 CAUSES OF ACTION AND REMEDIES 78 Chapter Objectives 78 Intentional Infliction of Mental Suffering 117 Introduction 78 Negligent Infliction of Mental Suffering 118 Causes of Action in General 79 False Imprisonment 119 Breach of Contract 81 Malicious Prosecution 119 Specific Performance 85 Abuse of Judicial Process 120 Fraud 86 Defamation 120 Negligent Misrepresentation 90 Invasion of Privacy 122 Trespass 91 Other Causes 122 Battery 94 Technology Notes 122 Assault 96 Summary 123 Negligence 96 Key Terms 124 Product Liability 104 Review Questions 124 Liquor Vendors’ Liability 109 Case Assignment 124 Nuisance 112 Endnotes 125 Ultrahazardous Activities 116 CHAPTER 5 AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES 126 Chapter Objectives 126 Statutes of Repose 133 Introduction 126 Assumption of Risk 133 Defenses in General 127 Contributory Negligence 134 Pleading Affirmative Defenses 128 Discharge in Bankruptcy 134 Release 130 Duress 135 Accord and Satisfaction 130 Estoppel 135 Arbitration and Award 131 Waiver 135 Statutes of Limitations 131 Fraud 136 Laches 132 Consent 136 CONTENTS ix Procedural Affirmative Defenses 136 Review Questions 140 Ethical Consideration 137 Case Assignment 141 Summary 138 Endnotes 141 Key Terms 140 CHAPTER 6 INTRODUCTION TO FEDERAL PROCEDURE: PARTIES AND PLEADINGS 142 Chapter Objectives 142 Intervention 164 Introduction 142 Class Actions 164 Commencing a Civil Action 143 Substitution of Parties 166 Complaints 145 Service of Process 167 Defendant’s Response to a Summons and Demand for Jury Trial 173 Complaint 150 Continuance 173 Answers 151 Technology Notes 174 Motion Defenses 153 Summary 174 Counterclaims 155 Key Terms 176 Reply to Counterclaim 157 Review Questions 176 Cross-claim and Answer to Cross-claim 157 Case Assignment 177 Third-party Practice 158 Endnotes 177 Joinder of Claims and Consolidation of Cases 161 CHAPTER 7 GATHERING EVIDENCE 178 Chapter Objectives 178 Role of Paralegals in Gathering Evidence 193 Introduction 178 Summary 194 Information and Evidence 179 Key Terms 196 Investigation 179 Review Questions 196 Discovery 181 Case Assignment 197 Analyzing and Organizing Evidence 191 Endnotes 198 Preserving Evidence 193 CHAPTER 8 EVIDENCE 199 Chapter Objectives 199 Summary 229 Introduction 199 Key Words 232 Categories of Evidence 202 Review Questions 232 Credibility and Persuasiveness 216 Case Assignment 232 Exclusionary Rules of Evidence 217 Endnotes 233 Technology Notes 228 CHAPTER 9 CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION 234 Chapter Objectives 234 Preserving Evidence 251 Introduction 234 Ethical Considerations 256 Investigation Plan 234 Technology Notes 257 Interviewing the Client 237 Summary 257 Interviewing Witnesses 238 Key Terms 260 Witness Statements 242 Review Questions 260 Contents of Statements 248 Case Assignment 261 Memorandum of Interview 250 Endnotes 261

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Litigation and Trial Practice for the Legal Assistant, sixth edition provides comprehensive coverage of the civil litigation practice for paralegals. This thoroughly revised text covers the litigation process from the pre-suit investigation to the appeal. The text provides detailed information on ho
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