Lawyers Club of Atlanta Newsletter – May 2015 From the President The Bridge Builder An old man going a lone highway Came in the evening, cold and gray, To a chasm vast, both deep and wide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim; The swollen stream was as naught…
Atlanta Injury Lawyer Blog
I Think The Driver Who Hit Me Was Distracted. Does That Matter?
I saw in this morning’s AJC an article on the front page about distracted driving. Unfortunately, the article reports that distracted driving has gone up, that roadway deaths on Georgia roads have increased by a third and that distracted driving may very well be to blame for that increase. Online…
My Tribute to Justice Robert Benham, Georgia Supreme Court
Lawyers Club of Atlanta Newsletter – February 2015 From the President Friends: I sat down at the bar at Lawyers Club the other night with my good friend and Past President Hal Daniel, the sole endeavor in mind being to enjoy a cup of cheer together…
Do I Have a Case Against a Police Officer for Excessive Force?
The recent news about a young veteran who had mental health problems and was found running naked in his apartment complex, who the police shot, has the attention of many Georgia residents, especially me. You probably have read or seen the story on the news. Anthony Hill was a 27…
Judge Ed Carriere: The Embodiment of Professionalism
The last two Fridays I have spent speaking at Continuing Legal Education Seminars sponsored by the Institute of Continuing Education. My topic: Ethics and Professionalism. In preparing for both presentations, I couldn’t help but think about a dear departed friend who was the embodiment of Ethics and Professionalism, Judge Ed Carriere. …
What Does “Open Court” Mean?
The concept of an “Open Court” has been back in the news lately with the efforts of numerous groups to try to convince the United States Supreme Court to broadcast live the oral arguments on the marriage equality case coming up in April. I am a proponent of that. In…
What is an Activist Judge? Should I Care?
What exactly is an “activist judge” and why should I care? I often get this question at cocktail parties. In legal circles, the answer to the question “What is an activist judge” is usually answered “Any judge who rules against you.” But the term is being heard frequently in the…
Effort in Georgia To Eliminate Your Seventh Amendment Right to a Jury Trial
Did you know there is underway right now an effort in the Georgia Senate to eliminate your Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial in medical malpractice cases? That’s right. A bill has been introduced (again), SB 86, that seeks to eliminate jury trials in medical malpractice claims. This bill…
The Unintended Consequences of Apportionment: Part I
What is apportionment? How does it affect my case? What does it mean? Can I ever get justice in my case with it? These are typical questions I often get from my clients in personal injury cases. The issue of apportionment comes up now in just about every case…
Jury Duty: The Heart of American Government
I recently had jury duty in DeKalb County, Georgia, where I have been a resident for 15 years. In 15 years, I have received a summons for jury duty two times. I have never served on an actual trial jury. This is the ironic curse of being a trial…