Litigation

December 12, 2013

What to Do If You Are Served With a Subpoena

If you are served with legal papers it is important to determine what type of papers you received. Are you being sued or are you being called to court or a deposition as a witness. It is worth a call to a litigation attorney to help you determine what steps to take so that you do not find yourself embroiled in someone else’s lawsuit.

What Is a Subpoena?

First you must determine if you have been served with a summons or a subpoena. If you have been served with a summons it means you are being sued. Click on this link to see an example of a summons. A subpoena is a document that requires the attendance of a witness or the production of documents at a deposition, trial or hearing. Subpoenas can be served on parties and non-parties to a lawsuit or criminal case. An example of a subpoena can be seen by clicking on this link.

Types of Subpoenas

There are two main categories of subpoenas: deposition subpoenas and trial subpoenas. A deposition subpoena requires attendance and/or the production of documents or other things at a deposition. A deposition subpoena is necessary to compel a non-party witness to appear and give testimony or produce documents at a deposition. Subpoenas are not required to compel someone who is a party to an action to appear.
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August 12, 2013

How to Be Prepared for a Business Lawsuit

by Adina T. Stern, Esq.

The time to prepare for a business lawsuit is before you have been sued or need to sue someone. Keep in mind that most business litigators charge by the hour so to the extent you can present your documents to your lawyer in a thorough organized manner, the more cost effectively your business attorney can represent you. Careful record keeping and document organization are the best ways to help your business litigation attorney. Here are some tips on how you can do this:

Keep a Detailed Calendar. People do not realize how important it is to keep an accurate calendar of what they do and where they have been until they are embroiled in a lawsuit. A good calendar can prove where you have been and where you have not been. For example, in construction or breach of contract cases, it may be critical to prove how much work was performed and when it was performed. A good calendar entry which documents who you were with, what you did, when you did it, and where you were is invaluable to prove details you may not realize will be important at some time in the future. Similarly, in fraud actions a critical issue is sometimes what the plaintiff knew and when they discovered it. Cases will often turn on when certain information is conveyed by one party to another. A thorough record of meetings can also prove you were not around when information was provided because you can show you were somewhere else at the time. A good calendar can be in written form or on your computer; just make sure it is in a form that will not be lost or destroyed if it is needed. For purposes of determining statutes of limitations it is also critical to have a detailed and accurate calendaring system.
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February 12, 2013

What is Mediation?

by Adina T. Stern, Esq.

Civil mediation in California (as opposed to mediation in family law or other cases) is a type of alternative dispute resolution that helps parties try to resolve their cases without having to face the time and expense of trial. Although many people have heard the term “mediation” they often do not know what to expect. There are a number of rules and procedures regarding mediation and understanding these procedures may help ease anxiety before mediation occurs.

Initiating Mediation

Mediation may be initiated at any time. Sometimes the parties may agree to mediation prior to a lawsuit and other times mediation is scheduled after a complaint is filed. Mediation can be initiated by the court or the parties. The court may order mediation if it determines that the case is suitable and may be resolved before trial. The parties can initiate mediation by agreement, for example through a mandatory contract clause, or by a signed stipulation. If the parties agree to mediation by stipulation, the stipulation must be filed not later than 90 days before trial, unless the court permits otherwise.
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September 2, 2012

Emotional Distress Damages Are Awarded for Injury to Family Pet: Dog, Cat and Horse Owners Are Vindicated!

by Adina T. Stern, Esq.

Last Friday, in Plotnik v. Meihaus, the Court of Appeal recognized that under California law, pet owners may recover for “mental suffering” which is caused if another person intentionally injures or kills their animal. This is a case that we have been watching because of its impact on California horse law and the horse industry.

Among the cases cited by the court in upholding over $160,000 in damages and over $93,000 in attorney fees was the 2009 case of Jamgotchian v. Slender (2009) 170 Cal.App.4th 1384 in which a horse owner sued the track steward for trespass when the horse was injured in a race after the steward rejected the owner’s request that the horse be scratched from the race. The court looked at the growing trend across the country allowing pet owners to recover for mental suffering caused by another’s wrongful acts that result in injury or death of a beloved animal including the nightmarish Kentucky case, Burgess v. Taylor (2001) 44 S.W.3d 806 in which a lessor under a “feed lease” sold the leased horses for slaughter and then lied about it to the owner.
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