Am I permitted to talk to the jury during my trial? No. You should avoid talking with the jury at any other time, even if you meet a member of the jury in the hallway or restroom. No one can speak directly with the jury except the judge;s court officer.…
I have a trial that starts in two weeks. Will I be able to eat and drink in the courtroom? No. You will be able to have water when you testify on the witness stand, but otherwise eating and drinking are not permitted in the courtroom when court is in…
I have a personal injury case going to trial. My lawyer says that my medical doctor cannot be forced to come to a trial and that we have to introduce her testimony via a deposition. I think she will make a good witness and I want her there. Can’t we…
How many cases does the Tennessee Supreme Court hear per year? Here is the data for the fiscal year ending June 20, 2009, the last year available as of the date of this writing. First, the Tennessee Supreme Court has to decide only certain types of cases. It was asked…
I received a back injury at work. I told my employer about it, told him I needed to see a doctor and he fired me on the spot. What are my rights? You have a right to receive medical treatment for you back injury. To the extent that miss work…
I am in a lawsuit in Tennessee. The other side has served a set of request for production of documents. There are 60 different requests. Do I have to turn over all of this stuff? Is there no limit to the number of requests for production? Your lawyer will be…
Does Tennessee have a deadline for filing motions in limine? "Motions in limine" are papers filed with the court asking the court to reach a pre-trial ruling on certain matters, usually evidence issues. For example, if I am representing a person who was convicted of a crime 15 years ago…
I am in a car wreck lawsuit. Depositions are happening next week. How long do depositions last? It depends on many factors. There is no time limit on depositions in state court in Tennessee. The length of a deposition depends on the complexity of the case, the complexity of…
I was hurt in a Tennessee car wreck. I really don’t want to go to court but the one-year filing deadline for personal injury claims is coming up and I need to file my lawsuit. However, I don’t want to go through the discovery process. How often do cases…
How much do expert witnesses charge? It depends on the type of expert. Most experts charge by the hour. I have paid as little as $50 per hour to hire a mechanic to serve as an expert witness. Some neurosurgeons charge $2000 per hour for a video deposition to testify…