Sandra Day O’Connor, former Supreme Court Justice, released a letter October 23, 2018 revealing that she was diagnosed with early stage dementia (likely Alzheimer’s Disease). O’Connor plans to remain in Phoenix, AZ surrounded by her friends and family. O’Connor was the first female Supreme Court Justice of the United States. She served from 1981 until 2006 when she retired to care for her late husband who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. Due to her diagnoses, which she stated came “some time ago,” O’Connor will be taking steps to remove herself from the public eye. O’Connor was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 in acknowledgement of her accomplishments over the…
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What You Need to Know about Attorney-Client Privilege and Michael Cohen
Dominating news headlines this week is the revelation of Michael Cohen’s third mystery client. President Donald Trump’s personal attorney’s home, hotel, and office were raided pursuant to a search warrant and his files were seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In a hearing on Monday, a federal judge ruled that Cohen, could review the materials that the FBI seized, but did not rule on how prosecutors could use the evidence. Michael Cohen is currently under investigation by prosecutors “for criminal conduct that largely centers on his personal business dealings.” Ten boxes of paper files were confiscated along with computer hard drives and other electronic data storage devices. On…
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Judge Rules Lottery Winner May Remain Anonymous
When someone wins the lottery, people come out of the woodwork to get a piece of the pie…or so I’ve read. I wouldn’t know personally. If I did, I’d be writing this on a beach in the South Pacific. In any event, a New Hampshire woman, who remains nameless, purchased a winning lottery ticket worth $560 million and a judge ruled this week that she does not have to reveal her name. He based this decision on her invasion of privacy claim and cited “repeated solicitation, harassment, and even violence,” directed at previous lottery winners. Per New Hampshire’s lottery rules – which are very similar to other states’ rules…
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The Limitations of Subpoenas: When are They Too Much?
Have you or your company ever been subpoenaed by someone and you wonder, “wait, why am I being dragged into their mess?” It seems unfair. Why should you have to take time out of your busy day to help someone else either pursue or defend their own lawsuit? Let’s face it, most people don’t want to be involved in litigation of any kind, let alone someone else’s litigation. There’s nothing to be gained and only time and money to be lost. However, a North Carolina Business Court ruling last year made clear that non-parties to the case should not be unduly burdened with subpoena requests or required to turn over…
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Four Tips for Drafting Jury Instructions: A Tightrope Walk between Clarity and Accuracy
What’s the best way for attorneys to show appreciation for jurors during the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s Jury Appreciation month? Lavishing them with gifts is prohibited, but one way attorneys can show some appreciation is by drafting jury instructions that make the lives of jurors easier by streamlining the deliberation process. When it comes to cases with complex statutory language, lawyers may be faced with the task of drafting jury instructions and must learn to bridge the gap between legal jargon and natural language. To add to the pressure of crafting meticulously worded jury instructions, many appeals are based…
