File Review, Proof Rubric, Trial Logs and Checklists

• Author: Beth D. Osowski
• Pages: 55-150

(Rev. 3, 10/12)

CHAPTER 1

FILE REVIEW, PROOF RUBRIC, TRIAL

LOGS AND CHECKLISTS

I. REVIEWIN G CASE 120 DAYS BEFORE TRI AL

§1:01 Review Gets You Orga nized

§1:02 Calen dar for 120 Days Before Trial

§1:03 Refresh ing Review Is Trial Pr epar ation

II. CLAIM S, D EFEN SES , AND PLEAD INGS IND EX

§1:10 Claim s and Defen ses

§1:11 Plea dings I ndex

§1:12 Key Fed eral Tor t Claims Act Con sider ation s

§1:13 Motions for Sum mary Ju dgment

III. ELEMENTS-OF-PROOF R UBR IC

§1:20 Review Ju ry Instr uction s and Ver dict Form s for Elem ents of Claim s and

Defen ses

§1:21 Sepa rately Cover E ach Elem ent

§1:22 Sam ple Elem ents -of-Proof Ru bric

§1:23 Usin g Jur y Inst ructions to Develop P roof Rubric

§1:24 Sam ple Jury Instr uction : Negligen ce

§1:25 Sam ple Jury Instr uction : Pain and Su ffering

§1:26 Sam ple Jury Instr uction : Failu re to Mitigate

§1:27 Sam ple Jury Instr uction : Comparative Negligence

IV. OTH ER LITIGATION FILES

§1:40 Review Ent ire File

§1:41 Discovery Re view and Discovery Ind ex

§1:42 Take Notes in Logs and Rubr ics

V. RECORD SUMM ARIES

§1:50 Recor d Sum maries

§1:51 Sam ple: Med ical Recor d Sum mary

§1:52 Build ing and Using a Medical Recor d Sum mary

Trial Preparation Tools 1-2

§1:53 Incorpor ate Medica l Informa tion Int o Proof Ch art and Trial Logs

§1:54 Med ical Specia ls

§1:55 Checklist: Med ical Specia ls

§1:56 Elect ronic M edical Records H ints

VI. WORKIN G LOGS

§1:60 Overview of Logs

§1:61 Motion-in -Limine Topics Log

§1:62 Dem onstrative Eviden ce Log

§1:63 Qua ntifying Pain and Su ffer ing Log

§1:64 Theme Log

§1:65 Evident iary Concerns Log

§1:66 Term inology Log

§1:67 Rese arch I ssues Log

§1:68 Genera l “To- Do” Log

§1:69 Not es Log

§1:70 Chea t Sheet

§1:71 Sett lemen t Thou ghts Log

VII. CHECKLISTS

§1:80 Evidence for E ach Elem ent in Proo f Ru bric

§1:81 Checklist of Logs

§1:82 Checklist: Coun tdown Calend ar

VIII. FORMS

A. COU NTD OWN CALENDARS

For m 1-01 120-Day Cou ntdo wn Calen dar

For m 1-01.1 60 -Day Coun tdown Calend ar

For m 1-01.2 180-Day Countdown Cale ndar

B. SAMPLE COMPLETED LOGS AN D RU BRICS

For m 1-02 Plea dings I ndex Form

For m 1-03 Employm ent Recor d Sum mary Form

For m 1-04 Med ical Recor d Summa ry Form

For m 1-05 Med ical Specia ls Form s

For m 1-06 Dem onstrative Eviden ce Logs Form s

For m 1-07 Qua ntifying Pain and Su ffer ing For ms

For m 1-08 Theme Log For ms

For m 1-09 Motion-in -Limine Topics Log Form

For m 1-10 To-Do Log F orm

C. B LANK LOGS AN D RU BRICS

For m 1-11 Pack et of Blan k Logs and Ru brics for Use at 120-Day Review

For m 1-12 Plea dings/ Discovery Index

For m 1-13 Med ical Recor ds/ Employment Record s Summary

For m 1-14 Elem ents -of-Proof Ru bric

For m 1-15 Motion in Lim ine Top ics Log

For m 1-16 Dem onstrative Eviden ce Log

For m 1-17 Qua ntifying Pain and Su ffer ing Log

For m 1-18 Theme Log

For m 1-19 Evident iary Concerns/ Resear ch Issues Log

(Rev. 3, 10/12)

1-3 File Review, Proof Rubric, Trial Logs and Checklists

For m 1-20 Term inology Log

For m 1-21 To-Do Log

For m 1-22 Chea t Sheet

For m 1-23 Med ical Specia ls Form

For m 1-24 Sett lemen t Thou ghts Log (Per sona l Injur y Case)

D. S AMPLE 120 -DAY REVIE W-CAR V. BU S ACCID ENT

For m 1-30 Review of Complaint and Answer

For m 1-31 Review of Plea dings

For m 1-32 Review of Discovery

For m 1-33 Review of Deposit ion Tra nscripts

For m 1-34 Review of Med ical Recor d Summa ry

For m 1-35 Review of Med ical Specia ls

For m 1-36 Review of Mem os and Ot her Docum ents in Facts Section

For m 1-37 Review of Jur y In structions

For m 1-38 Comp leted Elem ents-of-P roof Rubric for Sa mple Case

For m 1-39 Comp leted Motion-in-Lim ine Topics Log for Sample Case

For m 1-40 Comp leted Dem onstr ative Eviden ce Log for Sa mple Case

For m 1-41 Comp leted Quant ifying Pain and Su ffer ing Log for Sample Case

For m 1-42 Comp leted Them e Log for Sa mple Case

For m 1-43 Comp leted Evide ntiar y Concern/ Rese arch Log for Sa mple Case

For m 1-44 Comp leted Term inology Log for Sa mple Case

For m 1-45 Comp leted To-Do Log for Sam ple Case

For m 1-46 Comp leted 120-Day Cou ntdown for Sam ple Case

For m 1-47 Comp leted Sett lemen t Thou ghts Log for Samp le Case

E. SAMPLE RESPONS ES TO SU MMARY J UDGMENT MOTION S

For m 1-60 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: Sum mar y Jud gment

Stand ards and Bur dens

For m 1-61 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: J udgment Is to Be

Grant ed Only in Unus ual Cases

For m 1-62 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: Greater Negligen ce as

a Matter of Law

For m 1-63 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: No Duty

For m 1-64 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: No Notice

For m 1-65 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: Figh ting

Inter pret ation of Exclusiona ry Term in Insur ance P olicy

For m 1-66 Par tial Response to Sum mary Ju dgmen t Motion: Atta cking In sura nce

Policy