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PRESIDENT |
PRESIDENT-ELECT |
EDITOR |
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WINTER, 2003 |
Website: http://www.charlestonbar.org |
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Colleagues:
This will be my last official newsletter to all of you as President of the Charleston County Bar Association, as my term expires in February 2003. Mark Tanenbaum takes over next year, and I know he will find the experience as rewarding as I have this past year.
It's been an eventful year, with the opening of our new Judicial Center obviously being the highlight. It was a privilege to represent the Bar Association at the dedication ceremonies, and I thank all of you for that opportunity.
As I reflect on the past year I am reminded that our Bar Association is truly unique and steeped in tradition. Our Bar had its beginnings over 300 years ago, and over these many years our members have had a tradition of service to our clients and to our community.
We have always been fortunate to have excellent, well trained attorneys as members who have, over the years, represented their clients ethically and energetically.
We have always taken an active role in our community. Our earliest members included signers of the Declaration of Independence, and thereafter, throughout the years, our members have served in both the state and federal judiciary, legislative and executive branches of government, and on numerous local boards and commissions.
The tradition I have perhaps cherished the most since I joined our Bar 26 years ago, however, is the civility and respect we have shown to each other over the years in the day-to-day practice of law. We have had a wonderful tradition of honoring our word and following the golden rule in our dealings with one another. With the recent growth of our organization and the modern stresses placed upon us, we need to be mindful of this tradition and to guard it jealously. We were fortunate to inherit this tradition from our predecessors, and it's now our turn to lead by example. We need to "pay it forward" to our newest members and to those who follow.
Thanks again for the honor of allowing me to serve as President. With warmest regards, I am,
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Sincerely, E. Douglas Pratt-Thomas |
Anne Frances Bleecker announces the relocation of her law firm and new firm name as follows: The Bleecker Law Firm, LLC, 82 Church Street, Post Office Box 811, Charleston, SC 29402. Tel. 722-2900; Fax. 722-2997.
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Buist, Moore, Smythe & McGee, P.A. is pleased to announce that E. Ainsley Fisher and Kristopher A. Pickler have become associates of the firm. Ms. Fisher's practice focuses primarily in the areas of general and business litigation, and Mr. Pickier's areas of practice include health care, environmental, real estate, and business law.
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Lisa Wolff Herbert, P.A. announces the relocation of the office to 864 Lowcountry Boulevard, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464. Tel. 849-0888; Fax. 849-0889.
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Moore & Van Allen PLLC announces that Elizabeth C. (Liza) West has become an associate of the firm located at 40 Calhoun Street, Suite 300, Charleston, SC. Tel. 579-7000.
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The Seibels Law Firm, P.A. is pleased to announce that Kelly J. West has joined the firm as an associate. Ms. West's areas of practice include insurance defense litigation and captive insurance regulatory law. The firm is located at 106 Broad Street, Charleston, SC.
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Office Space for Rent: For one attorney and one support staff, available immediately in beautiful building one block from new courthouse. Use of conference rooms, fax, and copier. Telephone hardware included, DSL access. Call Spence Roddey or Lori Stoney at 723-6622.
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Office Space for Rent: Downtown - 171 Church Street, The Franke Building. Attorney office and secretarial area available with use of receptionist, conference rooms, lobby, kitchen and copier. High speed Internet access available. Call Kathy McKillip at 577-7557.
Judges After Hours
To provide opportunities to intermingle with judges and other members of the Bar after hours, the local Circuit Court judges invite you to join them quarterly in the back room of Andolini's Pizza on Wentworth Street for pizza and drinks. All beverages are dutch treat, and we will collect $5.00 from everyone for pizza. We will meet on a Friday afternoon every quarter at 4:00 p.m. The dates for 2003 will be January 17, April 18, July 18 and October 17. Mark your calendars, and please join us. This will be a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other on an informal basis.
**MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2003**
The Charleston County Bar Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 at Aihambra Hall in Mt. Pleasant. The Annual Meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by a barbecue and oyster roast. Again this year there will be a special meeting for new admittees to the Bar. All new Charleston County attorneys are invited to this meeting, followed by the Annual Meeting and social function. If you or your firm know of any attorneys who have just recently passed the Bar, are practicing law in Charleston and have not already joined the Charleston County Bar, please give their names to Julie Kemp at 579-7066 so that an invitation can be mailed to them. Invitations to all members of the Charleston County Bar will be mailed out in late January.
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NEED A LEGAL ASSISTANT?
The Charleston Association of Legal Assistants (CALA) operates a job bank, a project developed to collect information to aid legal assistants in securing employment. There is no charge to prospective employers for this service.
Prospective employers should contact the current job bank chairperson, Wendy Johnston, at 881-3340, and provide the following information:
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Company or Firm Name |
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Contact Person |
The prospective employer should also state whether job seekers should telephone or send resumes only, and whether the prospective employer wants a notice regarding the available position placed in the CALA newsletter.
Information on all known employment opportunities will be supplied to full and associate members of CALA contacting the job bank. The legal assistant will be responsible for contacting the prospective employers whose requirements most closely match his/her qualifications and interests.
The job bank is a means of connecting legal assistants in the job market with prospective employers. CALA does not guarantee the qualifications of the legal assistants to whom it will be providing information regarding job openings, nor does it guarantee that interviews will be granted to the legal assistants seeking employment.
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Wendy Johnston JOB BANK CHAIRPERSON |
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CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES
Judge Daniel F. Pieper- 100 Broad Street Suite 427, Charleston, 29401-2287
Tel. 958-5142
Judge Deadra I. Jefferson- 100 Broad Street Suite 336, Charleston, 2940 1-2283
Tel. 958-5147
Judge A. Victor Rawl- 84 Broad Street Suite 317, Charleston, 2940 1-2282
Tel. 958-5054
Judge Thomas L. Hughston- 100 Broad Street Suite 368, Charleston, 29401-2285
Tel. 958-5100
LEGAL STAFF PROFESSIONALS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY
BASIC LEGAL TRAINING COURSE
The Legal Staff Professionals of the Lowcountry will be sponsoring the NALS Basic Legal Training Course for legal professionals using the Basic Manual for the Lawyer's Assistant, 5th Edition. Classes will meet twice a week from Tuesday, February 4,2003 through Thursday, March 27, 2002, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the First Federal of Charleston Building, 34 Broad Street, Charleston, South Carolina.
Classes will be taught by attorneys, judges, certified professional legal secretaries, and/or persons with expertise in the particular field. All classes focus on what is expected of a legal staff professional. A certificate will be awarded to all individuals who attend at least 80 percent of the classes and obtain a grade of 70 percent or better for the class. The certificate will be issued by NALS. The association for legal professionals.
This course is designed for individuals who have little law office experience or whose experience has been limited to a specialized area of the law. It provides basic training for legal professionals and is beneficial in preparing for the ALS - the Basic Certification for Legal Professionals examination. Applications for the ALS exam will be available throughout the course.
The cost of the course will be $175 for NALS members, and $200 for non-members.
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Please return application and fee, made payable to Legal Staff Professionals of the Lowcountry by January 14, 2002, to:
Legal Staff Professionals of the Lowcountry
c/o Naomi W. Nation, PLS
101 Meeting Street, Suite 400
Charleston, SC 29401
BASIC LEGAL TRAINING COURSE SCHEDULE
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Topic |
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Overview/Orientation Ethics and Ethics |
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The Law Office |
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Computers in the Law Office |
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Accounting |
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Oral and Written Communications |
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Preparation of Legal Documents / |
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MID-TERM COURSE REVIEW |
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The Courts |
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Litigation and Torts |
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Contracts |
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Criminal Law |
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Estate Planning |
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Family Law |
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Real Estate |
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Bankruptcy |
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NALS LEGAL TRAINING COURSE FINAL EXAM |
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ALS EXAMINATION |
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2002-2003 OFFICERS
President - Patricia A. Schneider, PLS, of Buist, Moore, Smythe & McGee, P.A.
Secretary - Patricia Maas of Law Offices of Simons & Keaveny
Treasurer - Stacy Burke of Altman & Altman, P.A.
NALS Liaison - Beth Sorrow, PLS, of The McNair Law Firm, P.A.
Membership - Kathleen M. Woodworth, PLS, of Buist Moore Smythe McGee P.A.
Marketing - Cheryl G. Bennett, ALS, of The Brownyard Law Firm
Membership meetings are held on the third Monday of every month. Non-member guests are welcome to attend. Anyone interested in membership information should contact Kathleen Woodworth at 720-4601.
NALS . . . the association for legal professionals
NALS is dedicated to enhancing the competencies
and contributions of members of the legal services profession.
EVALUATING THE WAR ON DRUGS
Wednesday Evening Series of Four Public Programs at the College of Charleston
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Prof. Bill Danaher, Dept. of Sociology |
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7:00 p.m., Education Center, Room 118,25 St. Philip Street |
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John Rivers Communications Museum, Political Science Department, Political Science Club, Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program, Women's Studies Program, Sociology and Anthropology Department, Alliance for Planet Earth Club, Womyn's Forum Club, International Affairs Club, Robert Scott Small Library |
FEB. 12: THE POLICIES OF THE WAR ON DRUGS
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"War on Drugs: A War on Ourselves" (ABC News special with John Stossel, air date 7/30/02, 40 min.) This documentary examines the efficacy of the War on Drugs, as well as the financial and human costs. It asks: "If this is a War on Drugs, then who is winning?" It also examines various European alternatives for dealing with the drug problem. Our invited speakers will discuss the policies that they are mandated to enforce and their reactions to these policies. |
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Judge Jack Guedalia, Summary Court, Central Bond Court Magistrate |
FEB. 19: PRISONERS IN THE WAR ON DRUGS
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"The War on Drugs" (VPRO TV, Holland, 1999, 45 min.) In the second half of this 90-minute production, Eric Sterling, President of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation; Joanne Page, President of the Fortune Society; and Julie Stewart, President of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, discuss provocative issues associated with mandatory minimum sentencing. Children of convicted drug users are shown being raised in group homes. Also discussed are various problems that result from drug addicts being treated as criminals rather than as people with a serious medical problem. Following the video, speakers will address problems of drug-addicted pregnant women, as well as the societal costs of the War on Drugs and the enforcement tactics used to wage it. |
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Nora Callahan, The November Coalition for Drug War Prisoners and Their Loved Ones, Colville, Wash. |
FEB. 26: FOREIGN POLiCY AND THE WAR ON DRUGS
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"Good Intentions, Bad Results" ("60 Minutes" news special, air date 1/13/02, 14 min.) In 2001, the U.S. State Department's 1.3 billion dollar program, Plan Colombia, was responsible for fumigating 200,000 acres of land, much of it in Colombia's Ama.zon Basin, with a controversial glyphosphate/Atplus300F herbicide combination. The intention of Plan Colombia is to destroy coca plants, from which cocaine is derived, and to deprive rebels of money from the drug trade. Although the cocaine trade has continued unabated, the effects on the impoverished farmers and the rainforest have been devastating. These effects include massive defoliation, loss of food crops, death of fish and livestock, and severe health problems among the children-including serious skin rashes. Congressional and environmental representatives are interviewed in this video, as are Colombian farmers and governmental officials. Rand Beers, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, also comments. Beers is in charge of the U.S. spraying program in Colombia. Our speaker, whose lecture follows the video, has extensive first-hand experience in Colombia witnessing the coca fumigation. |
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Sanho Tree, Institute for Policy Studies, Washington, D.C. |
MAR. 5: NO PROGRAM TONIGHT
MAR. 12: ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON IN THE WAR ON DRUGS
The speakers will discuss various strategies utilized in Europe and the United States, including successful current treatment practices. We will focus on alternative policies, such as decriminalization and legalization of drugs, and the medicalization of drug addiction through "Harm Reduction" methods. Also discussed will be Drug Courts, in which arrested drug users are given treatment options instead of prison sentences.
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Dr. Gene Tinelli, Addiction Psychiatrist, SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, N.Y. |
CIRCUIT COURT SCHEDULE - NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
(Court schedules are changing constantly; please verify current information through S.C. Court Administration of by checking the South Carolina Judicial Department website at http://www.judicial.state.sc.us/calendar/index.cfm)
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Jan. 6 |
Jan. 13 |
Jan. 20 |
Jan. 27 |
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Chas CP - Cordell |
Chas CP - Jefferson |
Chas CP - Jefferson |
Chas CP - Rawl |
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Feb. 4 |
Feb. 11 |
Feb. 18 |
Feb. 25 |
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Chas CP - Pieper |
Chas CP - Houghston |
9th CPNJ - Rawl |
Chas GS - Pieper |
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Mar. 3 |
Mar. 10 |
Mar. 17 |
Mar. 24 |
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Chas CP - Rawl |
Chas CP - Macaulay |
Chas CP - Dennis |
Chas CP - Dennis |
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Mar. 31 |
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CIRCUIT COURT SCHEDULE - FIRST JUDICIAL CURCUIT
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Jan. 6 |
Jan. 13 |
Jan. 30 |
Jan. 27 |
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1st CPNJ - Goodstein |
Dor GS - Goodstein |
Dor GS - Goodstein |
Dor CP - Goodstein |
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Feb. 4 |
Feb. 10 |
Feb. 17 |
Feb. 24 |
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Dor CP - Goodstein |
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Mar. 3 |
Mar. 10 |
Mar. 17 |
Mar. 24 |
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1st CPNJ / PCR - Goodstein |
Dor GS - Goodstein |
Dor GS - Goodstein |
Dor CP - Goodstein |
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Mar. 31 |
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FAMILY COURT SCHEDULE - NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
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Jan. 6 |
Jan. 13 |
Jan. 20 |
Jan. 27 |
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Chas - Morehead |
Chas - Andrews |
Chas - McLin |
Chas - McLin |
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Feb. 4 |
Feb. 11 |
Feb. 18 |
Feb. 25 |
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Chas - Andrews |
Chas - Andrews |
Chas - McLin |
Chas - Andrews |
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Mar. 3 |
Mar. 10 |
Mar. 17 |
Mar. 24 |
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Chas - Andrews |
Chas - McLin |
Chas - Andrews |
Chas - Andrews |
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Mar. 31 |
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Chas - Andrews |
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FAMILY COURT SCHEDULE - FIRST JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
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Jan. 6 |
Jan. 13 |
Jan. 20 |
Jan. 27 |
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Dor - Wylie |
Dor - Wylie |
Dor - Wylie |
Dor - Wylie |
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Feb. 4 |
Feb. 11 |
Feb. 18 |
Feb. 25 |
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Dor - McLin |
Dor - McLin |
Dor - McLin |
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Mar. 3 |
Mar. 10 |
Mar. 17 |
Mar. 24 |
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Dor - McLin |
Dor - Smoak |
Dor - Wylie |
Dor - McLin |
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Mar. 31 |
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Dor - Wylie |
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CHARLESTON COUNTY COMMON PLEAS JURY VERDICTS
(information supplied by Clerk of Court's Office)
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00-CP-10-4648 |
Sinclair Driggers vs. Sheriff of Charleston County |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Jay T. Gouldon |
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Cause of Action: |
Miscellaneous |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $32,000.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP-10-4648 |
Tara Wright vs. June A. Gooding |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Donald H. Howe |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $2,250.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP-10-4992 |
Amelia L. Bennington vs. Stella Nova, A Corporation |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Marvin I. Oberman |
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Cause of Action: |
Miscellaneous |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $25,000.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP-10-5117 |
Althea B. Seabrook and Evelyn Robinson vs. John J. Geiges, Jr. |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiffs: |
W. McAlister Hill |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff Aithea B. Seabrook in the amount of $289.00 actual damages; for the Plaintiff Evelyn Robinson in the amount of $1,571.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP-10-5439 |
Clifford R. Davis and Cheryl Davis vs. Mary L. Barney |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiffs: |
Francis X. McCann |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff Clifford R. Davis in the amount of $32,000.00 actual damages; for the Plaintiff Cheryl Davis in the amount of $10,000.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP- 10-5529 |
Fassit Heame Langley vs. Robin Hardee |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
John T. Taylor |
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Cause of Action: |
Collection |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $10,500.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP-10-5629 |
Anderson Whaley vs. John Doe, an unidentified driver |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Francis J. Comely |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $2,743 .62 actual damages and $788.68 punitive damages. |
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**** |
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00-CP-10-5742 |
Sharon Wiggins Litchfield vs. Cheryl Fitch & Andrew Fitch |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Jeffrey Gerardi |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $5,895.48 actual damages. |
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**** |
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01-CP-10-58 |
Edward D. Donaldson vs. Shawn Brandon Williams, a minor over the age of fourteen (14) years |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
W. McAllister Hill |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $6,000.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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01-CP-10-542 |
Reads Van & Storage vs. City of Charleston |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Craig E. Burgess |
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Cause of Action: |
Miscellaneous |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $4,227.52 actual damages. |
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**** |
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01-CP-10-839 |
Nathaniel Green vs. Leslie McBride |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Daniel E. Martin, Jr. |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $500.00 actual damages. |
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**** |
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01-CP-10-0322 |
Anthony Deas vs. Johnette Richardson and William Clement |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
Teresa Z. Hill |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $6,486.00 actual damages and $500.00 punitive damages. |
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**** |
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02-CP-10-2283 |
Claire I. Conley vs. Joey D. Carmack |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
James D. Cooper, Jr. |
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Cause of Action: |
Auto Accident |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $45,000.00 actual damages, after a set-off in the amount of $25,000.00. |
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FEDERAL COURT JURY VERDICTS
(information provided by the Clerk of Court's Office)
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9:01-3100-23 |
Charlotte Hawes vs. Harbor Island Owners Association |
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Attorneys: |
Plaintiff: |
William B. Harvey, III |
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Cause of Action: |
Personal Injury |
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Verdict: |
For the Plaintiff in the amount of $450,000.00 actual damages, after a reduction of 35% for Plaintiff's own comparative negligence and in accordance with a stipulation between the parties to a maximum monetary award. |
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