CIVIL PROCEDURE CLASS 27

1. CIVIL PROCEDURE CLASS 27 Professor Fischer Columbus School of Law The Catholic University of America October 27, 2003

2. WRAP-UP • Last time we studied rules that attempt to ensure a fair and impartial jury: • 1. Directed verdict rule: 50(a) – takes the case away from the jury where no reasonable jury could find for non-moving party. This rule seeks to avoid totally irrational verdicts. • 2. Jury Selection/Voir Dire/Size of Jury Rules: try to ensure a fair and impartial jury is drawn from a cross-section of the community • We also learned that the Seventh Amendment PRESERVES a right to trial by jury where this existed at common law at the time of ratification of that Amendment (1791).

3. CIVIL JURY TRIALS • Describe the usual procedure at trial

4. CIVIL JURY TRIALS • After choosing a jury, the procedure is usually as follows (depends on local rules) • 1. Ps opening statement (usually goes first) • 2. Ds opening statement (option to do this after P’s direct evidence) • 3. P presents direct evidence (D can cross-examine) • 4. D may move for a directed verdict • 4. D presents direct evidence (P can cross-examine) • 5. P presents rebuttal evidence • 6. D presents rebuttal evidence • 7. P or D may move for a directed verdict. Assuming no successful directed verdict motion, closing arguments (usually P speaks first and last) • 8. Jury instructions (judge could also instruct in beginning and at end)

5. BENCH TRIALS • Less formal procedure than jury trials • Often, the judge does not require/permit opening statements or closing arguments. Why do you think this is the case? • Obviously, there is no need for jury instructions in a bench trial!

6. EVIDENCE • Types of evidence include: • 2. Deposition testimony • 3. Documents • 4. Other relevant items • Elaborate rules of evidence apply to determine what is and what is not admissible • There are Federal Rules of Evidence • Many states follow these federal rules

7. CLOSING ARGUMENTS • Because evidence is presented in a piecemeal fashion, it is hard for the jury to get a coherent picture of the case • The purpose of closing arguments is to give the jury such a coherent picture of one party’s case

8. BIG PICTURE: Judicial Control of Juries in Jury Trials- • 1. Jury Instructions • 2. Special Verdicts • 3. Bifurcation/Trifurcation • 4. Remittitur/Additur • 5. J.N.O.V. • 6. Order for New Trial • 7. Order to Vacate Judgment

9. JURY INSTRUCTIONS (Rule 51) • What is a jury instruction? • When are jury instructions given?

10. JURY DELIBERATIONS • Jury retires to deliberate, usually under the supervision of the bailiff • In civil cases, jurors usually are permitted to leave for the night. • However, when jury deliberations are recessed, the judge will tell the jury not to discuss the case to anyone and not to read media coverage of the case

11. VERDICTS • What is a general verdict? • What is a special verdict? SEE FRCP 49 • What is a general verdict with interrogatories? SEE FRCP 49 • What are the advantages and disadvantages of special verdicts? • Sometimes the judge polls the jury to make sure the verdict is agreed on by the required number of jurors • How many jurors must agree on the verdict in federal court? SEE FRCP 48

12. JURY DEADLOCK • What happens if the jury cannot agree on a verdict?

13. BIFURCATION • FRCP 42(b) • Bifurcation: liability and damages • Trifurcation: causation, liability, and damages • What should a court take into consideration in determining whether to bifurcate a trial? • Must birfucated trials be tried before the same jury? • What are the advantages of bifurcation? • What are the disadvantages of bifurcation?

14. REMITTITUR/ADDITUR • What is remittitur? • What is additur? • Is remittitur constitutional? Why or why not? • Is additur constitutional? Why or why not?

15. IS A J.N.OV. CONSTITUTIONAL? • Remember Amendment VII: “No fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of common law.” • The U.S. Supreme Court has held that there was a common law analogue to the directed verdict but no DIRECT common law analogues for the j.n.o.v. • So is a J.N.O.V. constitutional? Why or why not?

16. SAVING LANGUAGE IN RULE 50(b) • “If, for any reason, the court does not grant a motion for judgment as a matter of law made at the close of all the evidence, the court is considered to have submitted the action to the jury subject to the court’s later deciding the legal questions raised by the motion.”

17. NEW TRIAL MOTIONS • FRCP Rule 59 • You should know the time limits for making a motion for a new trial. Can a judge grant a new trial on its own initiative? In what circumstances? What time limits apply? See FRCP 59(d). • What are the grounds for granting a motion for a new trial?

18. GROUNDS FOR GRANTING A NEW TRIAL INCLUDE: • Judge realizes he mistakenly admitted evidence over correct objection • Newly discovered evidence • Judge realizes she wrongly instructed jury over correct objection (see FRCP 51) • Verdict against the weight of the evidence • Excessive/inadequate verdict (see remittitur/additur above)

19. ADDITIONAL GROUNDS FOR NEW TRIAL • Improper conduct by counsel or judge • Jury misconduct (e.g. verdict not unanimous/inconsistent) • When can misconduct in a jury’s deliberations be grounds for a new trial? To what extent is what is said in the jury room admissible? See Fed. R. Ev. 606(b)? • Do you agree that Fed. R. Ev. 606(b) strikes an appropriate balance? See p. 510 CB