July 5th, 2010

Closing Arguments-The Road to Justice

Ladies and Gentlemen in jury selection we discussed justice. We discussed how in our American system of justice, in a case involving personal injury, justice is provided by way of monetary compensation.

Now ladies and gentlemen there are many roads to justice in King County. There are small roads leading to various municipal courts in the county. There are larger roads leading to our county district courts. But the road that leads to the King County Superior Court is a major interstate highway.

The road to justice to the King County Superior is traveled by people who seek the highest form of justice in King County. There is only one court that dispenses the highest form of justice in King County. That court, ladies and gentlemen, is the King County Superior Court.

And you ladies and gentlemen are a King County Superior Court Jury. Your voice defines justice in King County.  The road to justice in King County ends with you.

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June 28th, 2010

Closing Arguments-Unaccountability Lane

A few jury trials ago I was faced with an empty chair defense in an automobile collision case. The defense was an (empty chair) driver negligently waived defendant to cross two lanes of traffic causing or contributing to the collision. The verdict form allowed by the court had a percentage of negligence line for the empty chair. The need to deal with this defense gave rise to “Unaccountability Lane.”

Now ladies and gentlemen we come to jury instruction number 16. This is the waiving driver instruction. Ladies and gentlemen this is the instruction defense wants you to use to find defendant unaccountable for it’s negligence.

Well ladies and gentlemen I looked on a road map of Snohomish County last night and you know there is no “Unaccountability Lane” in Snohomish County. That’s because in Snohomish County we are accountable for our actions.

So ladies and gentlemen you know what to do with the waiving driver defense- waive it out of Snohomish County because we have no Unaccountability Lane in Snohomish County. In fact ladies and gentlemen the argument needs to be waived out of state, because in Washington just like Snohomish County we are accountable for our negligence.

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