Newsletters

The Court's Management of High-Profile Cases

Courts are sometimes faced with managing high-profile or notorious cases. The media frenzy surrounding such trials can make it a challenge to provide a fair trial, a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Besides celebrity cases, the courts face special challenges in handling brutal murder cases.

Products Liability Law

Products liability is an area of law that deals with injury or harm caused by a defective or flawed product. Perhaps the product was designed defectively or maybe the manufacturer used a faulty part in the product. A product is considered defective if the manufacturer failed to warn of its dangers.

Jury Consultants

The jury serves a vital function in the American legal system. The jury is the trier of fact in a civil jury trial. The jury's role is to weigh the evidence presented by both sides and reach a verdict. The United States Constitution guarantees a right to trial by jury in civil and criminal cases. The jury must be fair or impartial. The jury pool, the group of individuals from which a particular jury is selected, has to be representative of the community. Voir dire is the process of interviewing potential jurors to determine who will sit on the jury. The purpose of voir dire is to identify and remove individuals who cannot be fair and impartial. It is becoming more and more common for attorneys to hire jury consultants to assist in the selection of jurors, especially for high-profile cases.

Representing Yourself in Court

If you represent yourself in court and don't use an attorney, you are acting "pro se." Pro se is a Latin term that means on your own behalf. In legal terms, you are considered a self-representing party.

Probate Courts

A probate court is a specialized court that handles the probate of wills, administers the estate (property) of a deceased person, appoints guardians for minors and incapacitated adults, and orders the involuntary hospitalization of persons in need of medical treatment. In some states, the probate court also deals with such issues as terminating parental rights and approving adoptions. Some probate courts also issue marriage licenses and grant name changes. The probate court in New York, as well as in some other states, is called the surrogate's court. Ohio has a probate division in the common pleas court, which is the trial level court in Ohio.