Police Liability and Damages in Death Cases under § 1983

Wayne C. Beyer

Wayne C. Beyer, Esq. is an experienced trial lawyer, author, presenter, and former federal official and administrative appeals judge. Mr. Beyer has been lead counsel in 300-350 police misconduct and corrections cases and dozens of jury trials as assistant corporation counsel (later called assistant attorney general) for the District of Columbia, and before that as outside counsel to New Hampshire’s Property and Liability Insurance Trust. He is the author of law review and magazine articles and the leading 1540-page treatise and handbook Police Misconduct: A Practitioner’s Guide to Section 1983 (JURIS 2018), available at a discount to attendees of this program at http://www.jurispub.com/Bookstore/Civil/Police-Misconduct.html.

In addition, he has been a presenter on § 1983 at national programs for Georgetown University Law Center, the Defense Research Institute, the American Bar Association, the Federal Judicial Center (for District and Magistrate Judges), and over 75 national webinars. Mr. Beyer is a member of the N.H. and D.C. Bars and holds degrees from Dartmouth College, Harvard University, and Georgetown University Law Center. He can be reached at [email protected]; (603) 356-5106.

I. Case selection for the plaintiff | 2:00pm – 2:05pm

II. Investigation and representation for the defense | 2:05pm – 2:10pm

III. Complaint, answer, and motion to dismiss | 2:10pm – 2:20pm

IV. Discovery in high exposure cases | 2:20pm – 2:25pm

V. Liability, damages experts, and the medical examiner | 2:25pm – 2:35pm

VI. Defense motion for summary judgment | 2:35pm – 2:45pm

VII. Case evaluation, negotiation, and settlement | 2:45pm – 2:50pm

VIII. Evidentiary issues for trial | 2:50pm – 2:55pm

IX. Jury selection | 2:55pm – 3:00pm

Break | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

X. Defendants’ Rule 50(a) Motion | 3:10pm – 3:15pm

XI. Qualified Immunity | 3:15pm – 3:20pm

XII. Closing argument and jury instructions | 3:20pm – 3:25pm

XIII. Special verdict form | 3:25pm – 3:30pm

XIV. Post-trial motions under Rules 50(b), 59, and remittitur | 3:30pm – 3:35pm

XV. Attorney’s fees | 3:35pm – 3:40pm