NATIONAL JURY SUMMIT TO ADDRESS 'PROTECTING THE JURY TRIAL -
A CURRICULUM FOR SUCCESS' Helping the community understand the importance of jury trials and what is at stake as the number of jury trials declines DALLAS - (Nov. 24, 2008) - Protecting the jury trial will be the focus of the third National Jury Summit hosted by the American Board of Trial Advocates. The Summit will be held at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco, April 1-3, 2009.
This will be the third jury summit presented by ABOTA. The two previous summits were held in 2005 and 2007.
"Trial by jury is - unfortunately - a forgotten constitutional right that most Americans don't even realize is being taken away from them," said John L. Holcomb, president-elect of the American Board of Trial Advocates. "America's greatness lies in its people. Eliminating the jury system in favor of justice by a bureaucracy is an attack on the very reasons this country was founded."
Holcomb, of the Tampa, Fla., law firm of Hill Ward Henderson, said Summit attendees will learn techniques and approaches for ways to communicate ABOTA's mission to protect the right to civil jury trials. Alerting citizens to the risks associated with a continued decline in the number of civil jury trials and how that decline affects their rights and future will be a key component.
Why the Summit?
Research indicates that Americans would want a jury, not a judge, to decide their case if they were on trial. A 2007 survey of U.S. adults between July 30 and August 2, 2007, suggests that the public would be receptive to an effort designed to reinforce the historical significance of jury trials and to raise awareness about the importance of preserving citizens' right to a jury trial.
"There are strong efforts to impede the constitutional right to a jury trial," Holcomb said, adding that between 1976 and 2002 jury trials decreased by 32 percent for civil cases. "That's a staggering number, and one that would alarm our founding fathers," he said. "In their eyes, the right to a jury trial was on par with the right to vote and the right to free speech. Juries serve as the check and balance on our judicial system, and are a fundamental right critical to our democracy."
"This is not to say that the American jury system does not need some tweaking," said Summit organizer Joshua A. Whitman. "Without question, we must create more efficiency to restore citizens' confidence in the operation of the system," said Whitman of the Jacksonville, Fla., law firm of Milton, Leach, Whitman, D'Andrea & Milton, P.A. "ABOTA is collaborating with the National Center for State Courts to advocate changes that will improve the system's effectiveness, and make it even stronger." READ MORE >> |
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New look launched at abota.orgThe American Board of Trial Advocates has launched a new web site featuring an overall updated look and features. We’re excited about the updated features this web site provides and the new possibilities it creates. We will continually be making improvements and additions to the new site that will benefit members and visitors. Additional features added include improved on-line registration for educational events and on-line donations to the Foundation of ABOTA. |
ABOTA launches lecture series in historic Massachusetts House Chamber; Cordy, Coquillette, kick off Constitution Day celebration
BOSTON (Sept. 17, 2008) – Today was not an ordinary school day for more than 200 Massachusetts high school students who filed into the historic Massachusetts House Chamber. ABOTA’s Massachusetts Chapter used the historic backdrop and the significance of Sept. 17 — Constitution Day — to launch the James Otis Lecture Series. Read More...
Top Jurists, Attorneys and Professors Headline Loyola’s
Third Annual Journalist Law School. LOS ANGELES (June 23, 2008) — Thirty-nine reporters, producers and editors from across the United States convened at Loyola Law School’s Third Annual Journalist Law School last week for four days of intensive classes on a broad range of legal topics. They attended classes led by renowned law professors, jurists, litigators and veteran journalists on civil, constitutional and criminal law, as well as on specific subjects. The event, part of Loyola’s Civil Justice Program, ran from June 18-21 on Loyola Law School’s downtown Los Angeles campus.
In Other News ... 
"We the People:" Foundation helps mark birthday of U.S. Constitution, Sept. 17. The ABOTA Foundation is ramping up its efforts to promote Constitution Day through its partnership with Scholastic, Inc. Sept. 17 marks the nation’s celebration of this landmark event. The ABOTA Foundation is preparing revised layouts featuring new headers and sidebars as well as the launch of a new lesson plan will help visitors navigate the site for Constitution Day related materials. There is a range of information that will contain additional content and links. This will provide the greatest search tags and include information back to the Foundation’s site. Massachusetts Chapter launches lecture series on Sept. 17 The Massachusetts Chapter of ABOTA is thrilled to announce that Justice Robert Cordy and Professor Daniel Coquillette will be the featured speakers at the First Annual James Otis Lecture. The program will run from 1:00-5:00 pm on Thursday, Sept.17, and will be held in the Chamber of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in the State House. “Both public and private high schools from across the Commonwealth have supported the program enthusiastically,” said Christopher Duggan, chapter president. Schools from as far west as Pittsfield as well as schools from Amesbury in the north, to the Cape in the south have already nominated their top students to participate in the program. For more details, go to http://www.massabota.org. 'Judges and Attorneys in Interaction' A Comparison of the Portuguese and American Legal Systems
ABOTA’s Massachusetts Chapter spearheads ‘Law Day’ efforts
Marshall T. Hunt, 1979 National President and ABOTA Founding member, passes away
American Board of Trial Advocates Announces Annual, Special Awards
William C. Callaham Sworn in as ABOTA’s 50th President
| Looking back at 50 years of ABOTA
The year was 1957. The jury system was under fierce attack by the press, legislators, judges and scholars. California's Governor, Edmund "Pat" Brown, even suggested a commission to hearworkers' compensation, liability and other civil cases. It was this dark cloud - the potential death sentence for the civil jury system that provided the seeds for the birth of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
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