Let’s recap:
MONDAY – started trial, selected jury, gave opening arguments. Worked late getting direct examination of plaintiff ready for prime time. Prepped exhibits and supplemental Points for Charge. Prepared revised jury verdict sheet without counsel name and address in caption. Prepared arguments to accompany recent submissions
TUESDAY – conduct entire trial before Judge Allen. I think it goes OK for my client. Didn’t leave City Hall all day. Charge conference, closing arguments, Judge’s charge. Jury goes out and the waiting begins. By 6pm they haven’t reached a verdict and the Judge sends them home. Tuesday was really no problem. It can be fun to be on trial.
WEDNESDAY – the week ebbs and flows. I am at office waiting for call to come over and get verdict. Also busy preparing to select jury and begin next trial on Thurs. Client will not be present to receive verdict, although he did ask me to give him a letter that he would be out of work today. Jury comes back with a zero verdict, but they made a mistake with the Verdict Sheet. We have an appealable issue. I hit the roof. Emily is doing legal research and feeding me sights at lightening speed. Judge wants to fix it so we can just be done. Defense says a zero is a zero and law supports it. I disagree. I’m telling everyone that I’m asking for a new trial. I so don’t want a new trial. The case doesn’t have sufficient value. Back at office I give client bad news. He is his typical stoic self. Will wait to hear what I want to do. Up late preparing Points for Charge, Verdict Sheet and Proposed Voir Dire for next trial. Email to Loredonna, who prints and copies first thing Thursday so I can go right to Court.
THURSDAY – Off to Court to pick jury for the next trial. $125k in coverage and highest offer is $42k. Doesn’t look like we’ll settle. Jury panel will not be available till late afternoon. Whole schedule is thrown off. Wanted to prep family of decedent at my office, but now have to prep in Court in order to not waste time. Judge wants to settle. I want to settle, but not for $42. I’m not sure family wants to settle for anything ever. Judge takes defense counsel by ear and has private shat. Next thing I know, the offer is $82,5. I go out and make my recommendation. Family can’t decide. Don’t think they want to take it. I’m not happy. Call Joe for reinforcements, but he doesn’t have the leverage. Judge takes a shot, but she’s gotta go real easy. Family goes to lunch. I get back to work on prep. Family comes back and says no. I say why? They’re hemming and hawing and I somehow get inside the dynamic with the widow and two grown children. Once I’m there, it’s over. They take the $82,5. I run out. No for them to change minds. The Judge Rizzo is upstairs in foreclosure court. NBC nightly news with Brian Williams is interviewing her and the place is a zoo. We get her back downstairs and get the settlement on the record. Everyone leaves happy. I’m very happy.
FRIDAY – Tyer arbitration at 10:30AM. Get there 10 to prep client, if he’s there. He missed the last one. He is there and we get to work. Highest offer is $15k. Client does a nice job. Lots of collateral health issues, longtime HIV+ status. Get that done and back to office. Missed lunch. Get another case ready to settle for a nice number, maybe a little higher value than it should. Great. Need to OK with client, but she’s sometimes hard to get a hold of. Missed her last appointment without any explanation. Not cool. She calls and we’re good to go. Then I get cal from Judge in Chester County who wants to kill me. Lots of animosity and personal attacks. Very enraging, but I can’t say anything. Especially frustrating because its on a case I don’t want and have said so before. End work day very angry and riled up, but it’s been a good week.
FRIDAY NIGHT – first night off in a while. Indian dinner with friends at yummy Tiffin Store. Than back home with Em listening to new U2 record. Very good!
SATURDAY – find out win in the Tyer arb is $16, $1k over offer.