Jurors in the Shelia Dixon trial convening for the 38th consecutive day today. Okay, not really, but it just feels that way.
Jurors are watching videotape of trial testimony of one of the witnesses. To say the least, this is unusual. But I don't think it is reversible error. This judge knows what he is doing.
The Baltimore Sun is tweeting the story. I check in periodically. The jury is out. Which means a lot of tweeting about nothing right now.
Deadspin has post about a boy who has filed a lawsuit over injuries suffered while on the bleachers of a dodgeball middle school.
Apparently, the boy was in a car accident and had dental work done. The ball broke his new bridgework.
First, I think Deadspin completely screws up by naming the boy. I cannot imagine what the point would be.
The one thing that has some appeal from a plaintiffs' lawyers point of few: they were using soccer balls for the dodgeball game. That is just an awful idea.
But was it the value of this case? Does it make it worth it to put a 12 year-old boy on the line as the plaintiff what will be forever mocked - regardless of the facts - as the dodgeball lawsuit?
In 2006, the National Association of Sports and Physical Education began discouraging schools from playing dodgeball and some states have made dodgeball illegal because it gives bullies another vehicle to be bullies. The counter argument is games like dodgeball give kids the opportunity to figure out whether they are bullies or if they are victims. One way or another, kids are going to figure this out anyway. So they may as well learn in a controlled environment who they are and how to adapt and cope with that reality.
Another Above the Law link. A former Portland High School teacher convicted of having sex with her underage teacher's aide has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The title of the post is a little misleading. She is eligible for parole in four years. She was a teacher who slept with the student who was in high school. Maybe she should go to jail for that, she is in loco parentis and all of that. But the kid was a month from turning 18. Twelve years seems insane?
Above the Law has a post (with a picture) of an advertisement in a Minnesota airport where a law firm markets itself mimicking a nutritional ingredients label.
This law firm has apparently coined a new term to describe itself: an "expertique." Above the Law says this increases their "Obnoxious Lawyer Schtick" content from 0% to 15%.
I hate to attack anyone for going outside of the box in legal marketing. Outside the box can be a great thing. Every innovator when outside of the box. But it is important to keep in mind: they made the box for a reason. When you jump out of it, do so with great care.
Miller & Zois has just created a Twitter page that links to all Miller & Zois blogs, including the Maryland Lawyer Blog.
I think the best path is to follow our blogs on an RSS feed. But here is another easy way to do it.
We have a lot of lawyers writing a lot of really good, substantive legal blogs. Check them out.
You can also follow me on Twitter here and on Facebook (I'll friend anyone, I have no standards).
Dilip Paliath writes in the Examiner about the jury selection process in the Sheila Dixon trial.
Dixon has seven lawyers. I'd love to know how and if she is paying these lawyers. Dixon makes about $151,000 a year. Could it really be pro bono with seven lawyers in there slugging it out for her? How many trees will be burned in columns of outrage if she is acquitted and she tries to stick Baltimore City with the bill?
If you are in a moot court competition in high school, college or law school, you may want to consider our sample trial materials which provide good examples of witness examinations, opening statements, jury instructions, etc.
The 4th Circuit's reputation is going to change. Judge Andre Davis was finally - finally- confirmed by the U.S. Senate today.
The 72-16 vote for U.S. District Judge Andre Davis gives Democratic nominees a 6-5 edge on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has been tough on personal injury plaintiffs and employment discrimination cases. It will be interesting to see what the edge will be for Democratic nominees in 2012 (and 2016 if President Obama gets reelected).
Maryland judiciary case search affords the public the opportunity to look at civil and criminal cases on the docket in both District Court and Circuit Court. It is a good tool for personal injury accident lawyers and snoops alike. You can find it here.
Results for the Maryland Bar Exam taken in July, 2009 are expected to be posted on Friday, November 6, 2009 on the Maryland Board of Law Examiners website.
The good news if you are patiently waiting: I think you passed. On the July exam last year, Maryland had an 81.6% passage rate: 1112 passes, 250 failures. Of the people that are so stress they are Googling the results before Friday afternoon, I suspect that you applied that stress to studying for the bar. Which means you studied harder. I put your - yes, you - chances of passing the bar at 94.7%. That's pretty good odds.
But remember this: if you do fall in that 5.3%, you can take it again. Neither the world not your career hinges on this. So relax and enjoy the rest of your week. This also goes for those taking the New York bar exam (results tomorrow) or Texas bar exam (results on Friday with Maryland).
The Baltimore County Circuit Court in Towson is projecting a 10 percent increase in lawsuits this year over 2008, according to the Maryland Daily Record. What cases are on the rise? Approximately 25% of the civil filings in Baltimore County are foreclosures. Relatively speaking, I would not expect that there is a great deal of work for the court in processing foreclosures. But this Daily Record article suggests otherwise.
As it is, Judges John O. Hennegan and Lawrence R. Daniels have both retired so Baltimore County is going to be down two Circuit Court judges when Judge Hennegan steps down this Friday.
The article does not provide, nor do I think there is any evidence, that personal injury lawsuits have increased (or decreased) significantly in Baltimore County.
