Witness

Future Implications of Key Legal Developments in 2023 Shaping Various Industries: From Rejecting Overly Ambitious PFAS Class Actions to Amendments of Federal Rule 702 on Expert Witness Testimony

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Harriss Beach Attorneys Abbie Eliasberg Fuchs, Daniel R. Strecker, and Alessandra G. Ash have analyzed key judicial holdings and legal developments in federal court and tort hotspots across the country that have impacted the industry in 2023 and may shape the years ahead. They have shared potential implications for future cases in regards to these topics: – The Sixth Circuit has rejected an overly ambitious PFAS class action. – The Hair Relaxer MDL is proceeding. – Illinois now permits punitive damages in wrongful death cases and has increased the availability of expedited trials. – California … Read more

Federal Appeals Court Overturns Multi-Million Dollar Damages Award in Breach of Contract Case Due to Erroneously Admitted Expert Witness

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Denver, Colorado – A multi-million dollar damages award in a breach of contract case may be in jeopardy after a federal appeals court ruled that an expert witness was improperly classified and admitted as a lay witness. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit found that the damages verdict for recycling company A-1 Organics, in its lawsuit against Heartland, relied on testimony from A-1’s chief financial officer (CFO) that should have been classified as expert testimony instead. According to the court, the CFO’s testimony involved more than basic math and required complicated assumptions … Read more

International Legal Team Urgently Appeals to UN on Alleged Torture of Witness in Hong Kong Activist’s Trial

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Hong Kong, China – Jimmy Lai, a detained pro-democracy activist and media entrepreneur, has filed an urgent appeal with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Lai’s international legal team alleges that the Chinese authorities tortured a key prosecution witness, Andy Li, in order to extract incriminating evidence against Lai. Lai is currently standing trial for charges under the National Security Law (NSL), including conspiracy to sedition, collusion with a foreign country, and conspiracy to collude with foreign countries. The trial began on December 18 and … Read more

Key Witness Identifies Stevie Ballard as Shooter in Felonious Assault Trial

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Jurors in the Stevie Ballard felonious assault trial deliberated for about an hour on Thursday before adjourning for the day. They will continue their deliberations this morning in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. The trial included testimony from multiple residents of Westminster Avenue in Austintown, where the shooting incident took place on November 11, 2021. The prosecution and defense focused their closing arguments on these witnesses. One of the witnesses, Sharon Berry, stood out during the trial. Although she did not know Ballard personally, she testified that she recognized him as the … Read more