Jared Firestone
Jared Firestone, J.D., is a personal injury attorney, licensed realtor, and freelance legal writer who writes on contracts, advanced legal research, and E-discovery.
Potential Uses of Expert Witnesses in The Freddie Gray Case
The case of Freddie Gray’s death and the range of charges brought against six Baltimore police officers has been one of the most talked about legal cases in recent years. There are many questions of fact that could determine whether these officers are convicted for any of the crimes they have been charged with. Expert
Posted on May 27, 2015 in News
Elizabeth Warren’s Past Service as an Expert Witness Causes Controversy
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mas.) has come under heat from Republicans this past week for what many believe to be an act of hypocrisy relating to her role as an expert witness back in 2000. In recent months, Senator Warren has opposed the “Investor-State Dispute Settlement” (ISDS), which allows multinational corporations to challenge laws passed by
Posted on June 2, 2015 in News
Expert Witnesses Likely to Have Significant Impact on Eric Harris Shooting Case
On April 2, 2015, Eric Harris was shot and killed by a volunteer sheriff’s deputy after Harris fled from law enforcement officers following a gun sting operation. The volunteer sheriff, 73 year-old Robert Bates, claims he accidentally shot the unarmed Harris after confusing his own handgun with his taser. Bates has been charged with second-degree
Posted on June 9, 2015 in News
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Remands Hugo Selenski Robbery Conviction to Allow Expert Witness Testimony
A guilty verdict for a home invasion robbery has been remanded to the county court level by a Pennsylvania state Superior Court on the basis that the defendant was improperly denied the opportunity to call an expert witness to the stand. Defendant Hugo Selenski was convicted in 2009 for robbing the home of Samuel Goosay,
Posted on June 15, 2015 in News
Psychiatric Experts Play Key Role In Tom Benson Competency Trial
The interdiction trial of New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Tom Benson came to a conclusion on June 12th. The 87-year-old Benson is being sued by his daughter, Renee, and her two children. They claim that the changes Benson made to his will in January 2015, which included removing the right to control the
Posted on June 23, 2015 in News
Construction Expert Weighs in on Cal Berkeley Balcony Collapse
On June 16th five visiting Irish college students and another from California were killed, and seven others seriously injured. This occurred after a fifth-floor balcony collapsed. The balcony is located just blocks from the University of California, Berkeley campus. Officials are still determining the cause of the collapse. The building, which was built in 2007,
Posted on June 23, 2015 in News
Expert Testimony on Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Ruled Admissible
Background: The plaintiff brought this case after she developed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). This was due to a high dose of Lamictal that was administered to her during a visit to a hospital. She sued the local County Health Care Authority and two doctors. She alleged that they committed medical malpractice
Posted on June 23, 2015 in Working with Experts
Beekeepers Bring Legal Malpractice Suit Against Attorney
Case: Hamilton v. Sommers, 76 S.D. (S.D. 2014) Background: This case was an appeal from summary judgment in favor of the defendant-appellee dismissing the Plaintiff-appellant’s claims of legal negligence or malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty brought against his former attorneys. This malpractice case stemmed from a dispute involving the ownership of bee sites in
Posted on July 5, 2015 in Working with Experts
Testimony by Biomechanics Expert Ruled Admissible in Georgia Slip & Fall
Case: Daugharty v. FDIC, 979 F. Supp. 2d 1353 (M.D. Ga. 2013) Background: This case involved a slip-and-fall accident suffered by the plaintiff at a bank in Georgia. Upon leaving the bank, Plaintiff tripped and fell on an uneven portion of the concrete walkway that extends from the Bank’s building to the parking lot. Plaintiff
Posted on June 26, 2015 in Working with Experts
Expert Witnesses Contribute to Same Sex Marriage Litigation
Last week, the Supreme Court made it unlawful to prevent same-sex marriage. Obergefell v. Hodges 576 U.S. ___ (2015). This landmark ruling is the culmination of several cases challenging state laws or policies that discriminated against same-sex couples. Such as Bourke v. Beshear, in which a U.S. district court and Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
Posted on June 29, 2015 in News