Pretrial Submissions and Conferences: Stipulations, Motions in Limine, Trial Briefs and Jury Instructions

• Author: Beth D. Osowski
• Pages: 273-318

(Rev. 3, 10/12)

CHAPTER 6

PRETRIAL SUBMISSIONS AND

CONFERENCES: STIPULATIONS,

MOTIONS IN LIMINE, TRIAL BRIEFS,

AND JURY INSTRUCTIONS

I. MOVIN G FORWARD

§6:0 1 Introduction

§6:0 2 Nar rowing th e Issues: Con cede, Ga in Conce ssion, or Fight ?

II. STIPULATIONS

§6:10 Subject Mat ter of St ipulat ions

§6:11 Stip ulated Fa cts

§6:12 Expe rt Qua lification Stipu lation s

§6:13 Witn esses and Or der of P roof

§6:14 Admissib ility and Aut hent icity of Evidence

§6:15 Stip ulated Liabilit y

§6:16 Stip ulated Da mages

III. MOTIONS -IN-LIMI NE BRI EFS AND ORAL AR GUMEN TS

§6:2 0 In Genera l

§6:2 1 The Objection Altern ative

§6:2 2 Wha t Are You Hid ing?

§6:2 3 Preser ving th e Record for App eal

§6:2 4 Alerting t he Opp osition to th e Unkn own

§6:2 5 For m Motion in Lim ine

§6:2 6 The Releva nt Issue s That Rem ain for Trial

Trial Preparation Tools 6-2

§6:2 7 Details as to th e Specific Evidence Coun sel Seeks to P reclud e

§6:2 8 Why Cou nsel Believes Cer tain Evidence Will Be Offered at Trial

§6:2 9 Why Cou nsel Seeks t o Exclude th e Eviden ce in Gen eral

§6:3 0 The Law That Suppor ts th e Exclusio n

§6:3 1 Why Makin g an Ob jection at Trial Wo uld Not Be Adequ ate

§6:3 2 Quick Briefin g Guide

§6:3 3 Editin g Guide Ch ecklist

§6:3 4 Pretr ial Motions Considera tions

§6:3 5 Ora l Argu men t Hints

IV. MOTION-IN -LIMIN E TOPICS

§6:40 Relevan ce

§6:41 Prejudice

§6:4 2 Oth er Crim es, Wrongs , or Acts

§6:4 3 Confu sion or Delay

§6:44 Habit

§6:4 5 Collat eral Sou rce Rule

§6:4 6 Fam ily Hist ory, Mar ital Sta tus, a nd Sexu al Orien tation

§6:4 7 Subsequent Re media l Measures

§6:4 8 Med ia Coverage

§6:4 9 Judicial N otice

§6:50 Spoliation

§6:51 Dead Ma n’s St atut es

§6:52 Science

§6:53 Lear ned Tr eatise s

§6:54 Opin ion

§6:55 Sever ance and Bifu rcatio n

§6:56 Social Media

§6.57 Ancient Docum ent Rule

§6:58 Econ omic Wa ste Doct rine

§6:59 Punit ive Damages

V. OTH ER TRIAL MOTIONS AND BR IEFS

§6:6 0 Tria l Br iefs

§6:6 1 Tria l Br iefs—Basic For m

§6:6 2 Motion for Jur y View

VI. JU RY IN STRU CTION S AND VER DICT FORMS

§6:70 Beyond the Elem ents -of-Pro of Rubr ic

§6:71 Pat tern Jur y Instru ctions

§6:72 Stand ard Sp ecial Verd ict Form s

§6:73 Risks of Relying on Patter n Instr uctions and Verdict Forms

§6:74 Decid ing to Dr aft Your Own I nstr uction s and Verdict Form s

§6:75 Step s in Drafting a n Ins truct ion

§6:76 Step s in Drafting a Verdict Form

§6:77 Jury Instr uctions and Verdict s Writt en for Juries

VII. FINAL PRETRIAL CONFERENCES

§6:9 0 Purp ose

§6:9 1 Pretr ial Confer ence Checklis t

VIII. FORMS

For m 6-0 1 Stipula tion

For m 6-0 2 Brief in Support of Motion in Limine : Relevan ce, Prejud ice, Confusion ,

an d Delay—Accid enta l Shooting

For m 6-0 3 Motion in Lim ine: P rejud ice (and Us e of Stipu lation )—Seat Belt Use

For m 6-0 4 Motion in Lim ine: Resp onse t o Claimed Preju dice—Com puter

Simu lation

For m 6-0 5 Motion in Lim ine: Resp onse t o Claimed Cumulativeness—Com pute rized

Simu lation

For m 6-0 6 Motion in Lim ine: Resp onse t o Claimed Scientific Error s—Compu ter

Simu lation

For m 6-0 7 Motion in Lim ine: Resp onse t o Motion to Exclu de Subsequen t Rem edial

Measur es—Ra ilroad Grade Cross ing

For m 6-0 8 Motion in Lim ine: Collatera l Source Rule

For m 6-0 9 Motion in Lim ine: Resp onse t o Claimed Preju dice an d Spolia tion—

Leavin g the Sce ne

For m 6-10 Motion in Limine : Response to Claim ed Oth er Crim es, Wrongs, or

Acts—Prior OWI Conviction s

For m 6-11 Motion in Limine : Jud icial Not ice—Twiligh t Times

For m 6-12 Motion in Limine : Dead Man ’s Statu te

For m 6-13 Motion in Limine : Response to Reques t for Bifur cation and Stay—

Insurance Coverage

For m 6-14 Tria l Br ief on Issue of Law—OSH A Confined Space

For m 6-15 Resp onse to Op position’s Notice of I nten t to File Lea rned Treatises

For m 6-16 Motion for a Ju ry View

For m 6-17 Resp onse to Mo tion in Limine Seeking E xclusion of Eviden ce Based on

Releva nce, Pr ejudice, Con fusion, Cum ulative Evidence, an d Delay—

Plaint iffs’ Child ’s Disa bility

For m 6-18 Resp onse to Mo tion in Limine: Economic Waste Do ctrin e

For m 6-19 Resp onse to Mo tion in Limine: Ancie nt Docu ment Ru le

For m 6-20 Resp onse t o Motion in Limine : Punitive Dam ages for Textin g

(Rev. 3, 10/12)

6-3 Pretrial Submissions and Conferences