John Ritter – Overlawyered

June 12 roundup

Ted Frank — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:37:30 +0000

As I type this post, I’m listening to Andrew Frey argue Conrad Black’s appeal before Judge Posner and the Seventh Circuit. Posner seems to be confused over whether incorrect jury instructions can be prejudicial in a general verdict. [Bashman roundup; earlier]
“For years families bogged down in Harris County [Texas] probate courts have accused judges of bleeding estates of tens of thousands of dollars to pay high-priced lawyers for unnecessary work.” [Houston Chronicle; Alpert v. Riley (Tex. App. Jun. 5, 2008) (via)]
Company sets policy. Employee violates policy. Is corporation criminally responsible for employee’s act? [POL; FCPA blog; Podgor]
Merrill Lynch banker asks for investigation of Enron Task Force withholding of exculpatory evidence [Bloomberg]
When calculating the costs of medical malpractice suits, let’s not forget the noneconomic costs. “In the [John] Ritter case, the jury agreed with the defendant physicians and exonerated them of any liability. They were lucky. How lucky? They were able to spend four years with attorneys worrying about their future, including the potential that they would be ordered to pay tens of millions of dollars and be left penniless. So, they didn’t really win. They just lost less.” [EM News via Kevin MD via Dr. RW]
Nor should we forget the defensive medicine costs. [Kevin MD]
Legal reform = job creation. [American Courthouse]
According to Justinian Lane, if you’re reading this post, you’re a “spineless sycophant.” [Bizarro-Overlawyered]

Tags: crime and punishment, defensive medicine, Enron, feeing frenzy, John Ritter, Justinian Lane, medical malpractice, nonmonetary costs of litigation, Texas, tort reform

June 12 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

“What is wrong with tort law”

Walter Olson — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:04:49 +0000

Colloquy of Coyote and commenters, based on the John Ritter malpractice jury verdict.

Tags: John Ritter, medical

“What is wrong with tort law” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

“Jury clears doctors of negligence in Ritter’s death”

Walter Olson — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 11:17:40 +0000

“A Glendale jury on Friday cleared an emergency room doctor of negligence and liability in John Ritter’s death, holding he did everything he could to save the comic actor. … Jurors, who voted 9 to 3 against liability for Lee and Lotysch, said they were torn between sympathy for Ritter’s wife and children and their conviction that the doctors were blameless.” (John Spano, Los Angeles Times, Mar. 15). Earlier here and here (noting that Ritter family had already obtained $14 million in settlements from other defendants).

Tags: John Ritter, medical

“Jury clears doctors of negligence in Ritter’s death” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

February 5 roundup

Ted Frank — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:46:54 +0000

John Ritter’s family has already received $14 million in settlements, seeking $67 million more in medical malpractice litigation for ER failure to diagnose rare heart condition. Dr. R.W. Donnell thinks they’re wrong. [LA Times; USA Today; Kevin MD; Turkewitz; Overlawyered Sep. 2004]
Speaking of the celebrity bonus in litigation: as M.E. e-mailed me, “Cheek rides again”; Wesley Snipes acquitted of tax felonies, though convicted of misdemeanors, and still on the hook for $17 million in taxes plus penalties. [NY Times; earlier]
California AG Jerry Brown continuing bogus carbon dioxide “public nuisance” lawsuit against automakers [Stirling & Sandefur @ Investor’s Business Daily; earlier]
Words-only criminal obscenity prosecution. [WSJ Law Blog (and farewell to Peter Lattman)]
In the category of gambits we’re sympathetic to, but are unlikely to succeed: East Texas burger restaurant tries mandatory-arbitration-by-posted-window-notice [TortsProf]
Mikal Watts puff piece [Corpus Christi Caller-Times]

Tags: arbitration, climate change, free speech, Jerry Brown, John Ritter, medical malpractice, Mikal Watts, public nuisance, Wesley Snipes

February 5 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Ritter family’s malpractice suit

Walter Olson — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 00:18:07 +0000

The family of John Ritter has sued Burbank’s Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, charging failure to diagnose and treat the late comedian’s aortic dissection in timely fashion, and medblogger Galen reacts in a less than sympathetic manner (Sept. 9, strong language; “Ritter family files wrongful death lawsuit”, SignOnSanDiego, Sept. 9). KevinMD (Sept. 10), Sydney Smith (Sept. 10) and Chris Rangel (Sept. 11) also weigh in, and the latter adds thoughts about the hospital death of Bee Gees member Maurice Gibb.

Tags: hospitals, John Ritter, medical

Ritter family’s malpractice suit is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system