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Walking the Line: Sharing Work Product with Testifying Witnesses Image

Walking the Line: Sharing Work Product with Testifying Witnesses

John J. Weinholtz & Elizabeth A. Brophy

Attorneys have an ethical obligation to represent their clients zealously. Deposition preparation is key to that obligation. Preparing testifying witnesses educates and focuses them on important issues and facts of a case. This aside, the law regarding disclosure of work product provided to testifying witnesses is not well settled, and 'there is considerable room within which thoughtful judges can reach different conclusions.' <i>Intermedics, Inc. v. Ventritex, Inc.</i>, 139 F.R.D. 384, 387 (N.D. Cal. 1991). Zealous representation, therefore, requires counsel to walk a line between witness preparation on one side and work product disclosure on the other. In so doing, counsel must also remain mindful of the line that exists between acceptable witness preparation and impermissible influencing of a witness. <i>State v. Earp</i>, 571 A.2d 1227, 1235 (Md. 1990). One misstep may lead to disclosure of counsel's mental impressions and strategy and, possibly, to serious sanctions.

Features

Decisions of Interest Image

Decisions of Interest

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.

Features

Development Image

Development

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

In-depth analysis of the latest cases.

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Verdicts Image

Verdicts

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.

Features

Apology Programs Are Hot News Image

Apology Programs Are Hot News

Linda S. Crawford

There has been a great deal of publicity in the medical community about apology programs ' programs that encourage doctors to affirmatively admit medical mistakes to patients and their families. While there is a lot of support for the idea, there is also a good deal of controversy over whether these programs actually work to reduce litigation and the cost of medical malpractice claims. What, realistically, can apology programs do ' and what can they not do?

Features

Court Clears Disclosure of Doctor Peer Reviews Image

Court Clears Disclosure of Doctor Peer Reviews

Pamela A. MacLean

Confidential physician peer reviews may be disclosed to plaintiffs in federal discrimination and antitrust cases in three federal circuits, even though all 50 states and the District of Columbia recognize a privilege against disclosure of the performance ratings. This growing federal-state divergence will make federal courts more attractive to plaintiffs filing civil rights suits involving doctors, attorneys say. At the same time, it may have a chilling effect on peer review participant candor and on the ability of health care facilities to recruit peer review team members.

Features

Counsel Concerns Image

Counsel Concerns

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

Tortious-Interference Claims

Features

Clause & Effect Image

Clause & Effect

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

Satellite Television/Programming-Exclusivity Agreements.

Features

CA Considers Law to Protect Band Names Image

CA Considers Law to Protect Band Names

Cheryl Miller

Every night in Las Vegas, Baby Boomers plunk down $47.30 each and file into the Sahara Hotel &amp; Casino's Congo Room to revisit the sounds of their youth. They've come to spend an evening with 'The Platters, Drifters, Coasters.' It's a performance steeped in nostalgia, save one element: None of the artists on stage were ever members of the musical groups that most remember as the Platters, the Coasters or the Drifters.

Features

Decision of Note: Songs in Karaoke Not Fair Use Image

Decision of Note: Songs in Karaoke Not Fair Use

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit decided that the unlicensed use of songs for karaoke recordings was not a fair use. <i>Zomba Enterprises Inc. v. Panorama Records Inc.</i>, 06-5013.

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