Editorials

Lawyer Gives Her Doctors A Real Pain In the Neck

Monday, May 25, 2009  |  by AMY GOODUSKY  |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I refer, of course, to a feature of being employed to defend medical malpractice claims, and the type of dangerous knowledge required by it: medical knowledge. I used to think this maxim meant that a little knowledge about whatever medical condition or disease, surgical procedure, diagnosis, treatment or complication would be dangerous to my opposing counsel. I think differently now. My minuscule acumen for medicine is really more dangerous to me than to them.

The Howling PlaintiffMay Not Belong In Court

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Monday, May 25, 2009  |  by NORM PATTIS  |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

Is it me, or is the lunatic fringe pressing closer and closer toward the center? Sure, times are tough: Wall Street is in extremis, the real estate market has tanked, and only undertakers find hope in current economic indicators.

'Wrong Show' Is Right Way To Judge Lawsuits

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Monday, May 25, 2009  |  by AMY GOODUSKY  |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

Everybody's got a lawsuit. This column was spawned by a public speaking commitment I took recently. Afterward, while we adjourned for coffee and cookies, members of the audience came to my table to meet me.

Retire Mandatory Retirement Policies

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Monday, May 25, 2009 |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

The Baby Boomers ? the 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 ? have always had a prodigious impact on all aspects of society as they moved en masse through life. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that, after affecting everything from school building programs to advertising and marketing strategies to the Social Security system as they aged, the attention they demand and the problems they create by virtue of their sheer numbers are now manifesting themselves in law firms across the country.

New Guilt Standard Needed For Capital Cases

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Monday, May 25, 2009 |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

bTo the Editor:/b

Retire Mandatory Retirement Policies

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Monday, May 25, 2009 |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

The Baby Boomers ? the 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 ? have always had a prodigious impact on all aspects of society as they moved en masse through life. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that, after affecting everything from school building programs to advertising and marketing strategies to the Social Security system as they aged, the attention they demand and the problems they create by virtue of their sheer numbers are now manifesting themselves in law firms across the country.

Giving Power To The People

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Monday, May 25, 2009  |  by KAREN LEE TORRE  |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

Although I think it unlikely, I hope Connecticut voters approve a state constitutional convention this November and put us on the path to direct initiative. A strong engine of democracy and the quintessence of self-government, direct initiative is medicine for the occasional ills that afflict representative assembly.

Less Experienced Judges May Well Be Qualified

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Monday, May 25, 2009  |  by CHRIS POWELL  |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

The five indignant letters from judges and bar associations published Sept. 15 in response to my Aug. 4 column ("Social Justice Doesn't Flow from the Courts") suggest that Connecticut's judges are all equally well qualified for their offices. But, of course, this cannot be. People are different.

The Time Has Come

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Monday, May 4, 2009 |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

"The time has come", the walrus said, "to talk of many things: of shoes - and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages - and kings." That's what Lewis Carroll said in "Through the Looking Glass." Today, the time has come for our state judges to talk of many things (and new things) for handling complicated cases. It's a time to cultivate new tools and prepare our courts for the 21st century. It's a time to invest in innovation that will cost the state less and produce more. One idea is the use of special masters.

Take It To The Databank

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Monday, June 30, 2008 |  The Connecticut Law Tribune

As a crime-fighting tool, DNA databanks are yielding exciting results. In case after case across the country and even internationally, DNA databanks have proven to be extremely useful in solving crimes. Here in Connecticut, there have already been 622 confirmed "hits" - a match when a crime scene DNA sample is run against the databank - for recent crimes and "cold" cases. And databank information has been used to eliminate suspects and to exonerate individuals convicted of crimes they did not commit.