Trial of a Police Liability Case under Section 1983

Wayne C. Beyer |

Wayne C. Beyer is an experienced trial lawyer, author, presenter, and former federal official and administrative appeals judge.

On-Demand: October 24, 2023

$195.00 1.5 hour CLE

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Program Summary

Master the trial of a police liability case under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 – whether yours is a high- frequency or high-exposure case, and whether you represent the plaintiff or the defense. Using examples, this practical webinar will cover the pretrial and settlement conference and preparation of your witnesses. It then goes to the trial itself: jury selection for your side, opening statements, effective examination and cross-examination of plaintiff’s and defense witnesses on both liability and damages, and the best closing arguments. It provides guidance on jury instructions, verdict forms and handling the qualified immunity defense if it survives for trial. Finally, the program includes post-trial motions and fee petitions for prevailing plaintiffs.

This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.

Key topics to be discussed:

Attorneys for both plaintiffs and the defense will be able to:

Evaluate your case
Prepare for the final pre-trial conference and presentation of witnesses
Pick the best jury
Master examination and cross-examination of liability and damages witnesses
Give memorable openings and closings
Draft special jury instructions and verdict forms
Handle the qualified immunity question at trial
Protect the record for appeal
And prepare and defend attorney’s fee petitions

Police Misconduct: A Practitioner’s Guide to Section 1983

Publisher discount exclusive to myLawCLE course viewers. Publication details here.

Date / Time: January 23, 2024

Closed-captioning available

Speakers

Wayne C. Beyer

Wayne C. Beyer 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/PoliceMisconduct.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 about 65 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

Agenda

I. Evaluate your case | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

II. Prepare for the final pre-trial conference and presentation of witnesses | 2:10pm – 2:20pm

III. Pick the best jury | 2:20pm – 2:30pm

IV. Master examination and cross-examination of liability and damages witnesses | 2:30pm – 2:40pm

V. Give memorable openings and closings | 2:40pm – 2:50pm

VI. Draft special jury instructions and verdict forms | 2:50pm – 3:00pm

Break | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

VII. Handle the qualified immunity question at trial | 3:10pm – 3:20pm

VIII. Protect the record for appeal | 3:20pm – 3:30pm

IX. And prepare and defend attorney’s fee petitions | 3:30pm – 3:40pm