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Live Seminar: It's All a Game: Top Trial Lawyers Tackle Evidence

Date: February 5, 2010
Time: 8:25a.m. - 4:45p.m.

For more information and to register for the live seminar, please click here
For more information and to register for the live webcast, please click here 

Seminar Agenda
    8:25 a.m. Registration
   8:50 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
                   The Honorable John Cannon Few
                   Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
   9:00 a.m. “The Quick, Clean and Efficient Evisceration of an Opposing
                   Expert: The Rules are Your Tools.”
                   We’ll discuss three evidentiary tools for challenging the science behind an
                   expert’s opinion:
                   1)  The unwavering, objective expert of 803(18).  The “Learned Treatise”
                        is free, and can’t be cross examined;
                   2)  Statutes, Bylaws, Standards and other accidental ammunition
                        provided by the legislature;
                   3)  “Did I say that????”  How to admit prior statements, depositions,
                        articles and web blogs to impeach an expert.
                   James W. “Wally” Fayssoux, Jr., Esquire
                   Fayssoux Law Firm, PA
10:00 a.m.  “Posted & Toasted:  How to Introduce Information Posted on
                   Internet Sites to 'Burn’ the Opposing Party or Witness.”
                   This segment will teach litigators how to introduce and authenticate
                   evidence posted on websites, including social networking sites such as
                   Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter and others, to support a client’s
                   position or impeach an opposing party or a witness.
                   Melissa F. Brown , Esquire
                    Melissa F. Brown , LLC
11:00 a.m.  Mid-morning Break
11:15 a.m.  “Attacking (or Building) Witness Credibility: A Close Look at the
                   Methods, Strategies and Permissible Scope of Impeachment.”
                   A Special Tribute to the late Jennifer D. Evans (1968-2009)
                   We will show the video of Jennifer’s presentation at this seminar in 2008,
                   followed by a discussion of her topic, and her professional life, by our
                   panelists, and other distinguished guests.  The credibility of
                   witnesses is a vital consideration in every case.  How can I make my
                   witness more believable?  How can opposing counsel impeach her?  Is it
                   possible to impeach someone who has not testified?  In answering these
                   and other impeachment questions, we will discuss real trial situations
                   with a focus on Rule 608, Rule 609 and Rule 806.
12:15 p.m.  Lunch (on your own)
  1:30 p.m.  “The Practical Impact of Rule 403:  It Covers Everything, So Why
                   Aren’t We Talking About It?”
                   We are!  Rule 403 affects the admissibility of “almost” every piece of
                   evidence.  How do courts and lawyers balance probative value against the
                   danger of “unfair” prejudice, confusion of the issues, misleading
                   the jury, and other “considerations?”  What factors must be taken into
                   account when applying, or avoiding, Rule 403?  How do those factors vary,
                   if at all between state and federal courts?
                   Dwayne M. Green     
                   Green & Ford, LLC
  2:30 p.m.  “When an Exception Is Not Enough: How the Confrontation Clause
                   Affects the Admissibility of Hearsay.”
                   The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2009 decision in Melendez-Diaz changed the
                   Crawford analysis, creating problems for prosecutors seeking to admit
                   hearsay evidence against a defendant, and opportunities for defense
                   attorneys.  We will look at the state of the law on both the civil side --
                   traditional hearsay exceptions -- and the twist that affects the
                   criminal side -- “testimonial” statements.
                   Professor Allyson W. Haynes
                   Charleston School of Law
  3:30 p.m.  Mid-afternoon Break
  3:45 p.m.  “Rule 901 and Chain of Custody: Authenticating Evidence in Civil
                   and Criminal Cases.”
                   Civil and criminal trial lawyers must establish the chain of custody to
                   admit evidence with no distinctive characteristics.  We will carefully
                   lay out the requirements of proving chain of custody, then discuss the
                   differences between the Federal and South Carolina Rules of Evidence.
                   Finally, an argument will be made that the Federal Rules more properly
                   recognize the role of the jury in assigning weight to particular pieces of
                   evidence.
                   Andrew B. Moorman, Esquire
                   US Attorney’s Office
  4:45 p.m.  Adjourn

About the Seminar
The South Carolina Bar-CLE Division is proud to present the 2010 edition of one of our most popular seminars from last year.  It’s All a Game: Top Trial Lawyers Tackle Evidence, received some of the highest scores and most enthusiastic praise of any program we have ever presented.  Planned and moderated by Thirteenth Circuit Judge John Few, this innovative, powerful, and practical seminar takes an entertaining and insightful look at some of the thorniest evidence problems any trial lawyer or judge could face. Judge Few has brought together a truly outstanding faculty of talented and experienced trial attorneys for an unforgettable learning experience.  Judge Few and our faculty �" Melissa Brown, Wally Fayssoux, Dwayne Green, Professor Allyson Haynes, and Andrew Moorman �" have spent literally months preparing for this entertaining and challenging program.  We are also honored to be presenting a special tribute to the late Jennifer Evans, which will feature a replay of her 2008 presentation.

If you are a South Carolina litigator who wants to sharpen your evidence skills and knowledge, or you simply want to come to the most exciting CLE program you have ever attended, then you don’t want to miss It’s All a Game: Top Trial Lawyers Tackle Evidence!

Mandatory MCLE Credit Hours
6.0 MCLE credit hours.  

Event Type: Seminars