Apology Programs Are Hot News
July 31, 2007
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?
Court Clears Disclosure of Doctor Peer Reviews
July 31, 2007
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.
Telemedicine, Pharmaceuticals and the License to Practice
July 31, 2007
When a patient receives substandard care from a health care provider practicing telemedicine from a different state, the question is presented: Which state has jurisdiction over the transactions? The answer to this will depend on the two (or more) states involved and the circumstances of the case, but in the civil context it will generally come down to the usual questions of 'minimum contacts,' the parties' expectations, etc. What happens, though, when local prosecutors wants to hold a practitioner in another state criminally liable for practicing medicine within their state?
News Briefs
July 31, 2007
Highlights of the latest franchising news from around the country.
Court Watch
July 31, 2007
Highlights of the latest franchising cases from around the country.
Litigation
July 31, 2007
Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.
The Role of Existing Insurance Trusts in Divorce
July 31, 2007
Life insurance is a common issue addressed in a substantial proportion of divorces. For many clients, especially those of greater economic means, existing insurance coverage is owned by irrevocable life insurance trusts ('ILIT'). Existing ILIT arrangements too often receive inadequate attention during the course of a divorce as a result of the focus on other more significant issues, or the presumption that since the ILIT is 'irrevocable,' it cannot be tailored to address the post-divorce insurance needs. This can be a considerable mistake. In many cases, because it is assumed that an existing ILIT cannot be changed, the insurance requirements resulting from the divorce are separately addressed in a property settlement agreement ('PSA').
The Ninth Circuit Strikes Again: Unconscionability and Arbitration Agreements on the West Coast
July 31, 2007
In a recent decision, the Ninth Circuit revisited the thorny issues involving the doctrine of unconscionability and its application to arbitration agreements. In <i>Davis v. O'Melveny & Myers</i>, 485 F.3d 1066 (9th. Cir. 2007), the court relied on a number of relatively recent, and by now well-known, cases in finding that a mandatory arbitration provision in O'Melveny's employee dispute resolution materials was unconscionable and, therefore, unenforceable.
The False Promise of Parenting Coordination
July 31, 2007
In a three-part series in The Matrimonial Strategist (appearing in March, 2006, June, 2006, and March, 2007), Curtis Romanowski, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, described and promoted parenting coordination 'as a means for dealing with high conflict families involved in domestic relations proceedings before courts.' I applaud the efforts of those who have devoted significant time, energy, and, in some cases, funds, to trying to find ways in which to assist families in the difficult process of post-divorce adjustment, but parenting coordination has drawbacks that must be constructively addressed.
