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Chapter Ten – 0445LJ Presented by the State Civil Litigation Section Wild World of Jury Selection

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Chapter Ten – 0445LJ Presented by the State Civil Litigation Section

Wild World of Jury Selection

Course Summary

Join your colleagues on a journey into the “Wild World of Jury Selection” with Judges Marlene F. Lachman and Lisa M. Rau. The judges and experienced trial attorneys will offer insight and guidance into proper and improper styles in dealing with potential jurors, including an overview of the new case Trigg v. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Panelists will also address current rules that are in place and areas where a rule is not necessarily on point.

Moderator: Jordan Strokovsky, Esq. McEldrew Young Panelists: Hon. Marlene F. Lachman Court of Common Pleas, Trial Division – Civil First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Hon. Lisa M. Rau Court of Common Pleas, Trial Division – Civil First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Lee D. Rosenfeld, Esq. Messa & Associates, P.C. James P. Tolerico, Esq. Robert J. Casey, Jr. & Associates

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BIOGRAPHIES Wild World of Jury Selection

Moderator:

Jordan Strokovsky, Esq. Jordan is a trial lawyer at McEldrew Young, representing catastrophically injured clients in a diverse range of cases including medical malpractice, birth injury, truck accidents, premises liability, product liability, civil rights, and sexual assault. A tireless advocate for his clients, Jordan takes a lot of pride in exposing cover-ups, fraud, and recklessness in the negligence actions he litigates.

Jordan graduated from Widener University Delaware Law School as Valedictorian of his class. While in school, he interned with three Philadelphia judges: the Honorable M. Faith Angell (E.D. Pa), the Honorable Arnold L. New (Common Pleas), and the Honorable Paul P. Panepinto (Common Pleas), and was also a member of the Law Review.

While practicing law fulltime, Jordan obtained a Masters of Law in Trial Advocacy at the nationally renowned Temple University Beasley School of Law LL.M. Program in the spring of 2018, where he received special recognition by the faculty for his trial performances and was a jury favorite—earning the highest scores from the jury at his showcase trial.

Jordan is proud of his pro bono legal representation that includes civil rights work through the Volunteer Attorney Panel of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, representing victims of sexual abuse with the Support Center for Child Advocates, and successfully handling various cases from Philadelphia VIP. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Morris Animal Refuge (the Nation’s oldest animal shelter) and SEAMAAC, a South Philadelphia organization that supports immigrants, refugees, and their families. Jordan is a co-founder of the Philadelphia Young Lawyers Division Running Group and is involved with the Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, and Pennsylvania Association for Justice.

PANELISTS:

Hon. Marlene F. Lachman Judge Lachman is a judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Judge Lachman was elected to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in 1995 and re-elected in 2005 and 2015. Before going on the bench she served as Prothonotary of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Deputy General Counsel, Office of General Counsel for the Commonwealth. Judge Lachman formerly practiced as a civil litigator at Bernstein, Bernstein and Harrison and at Mesirov, Gelman, Jaffe, Cramer and Jamison in the areas of medical malpractice, products liability and general commercial litigation.

She has been active in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations, having served on the Board of Governors and as Chair of the YLS of the Philadelphia Bar

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Association and in the House of Delegates of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Judge Lachman has also served as a hearing panel member for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Board, and as Parliamentarian of the National Conference of Appellate Courts Clerks. She is involved in numerous professional and civic organizations and has served on various boards including the boards of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, Lawyers' Club of Philadelphia, Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia, Jewish Family and Children's Agency, Gratz College, Temple University General Alumni Association and the University of Pennsylvania Law Alumni Board of Managers.

Judge Lachman is a frequent lecturer on trial practice. For five years she chaired the Judicial Education Committee, she also organizes the program to train newly elected judges and is currently Chair of the Access to Justice Committee and the Civil Rules and Procedures Committee of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

She received her B.A. from Temple University and J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Hon. Lisa M. Rau Judge Rau serves as a state court judge who has presided over major civil and criminal trials in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Judge Rau was appointed to the bench in July of 2001, was elected in November 2001, having been endorsed by both the Democratic and Republican parties, and was retained for an additional ten year term in November 2011. Judge Rau has presided over major civil trials for 9 years and served as a Team Leader for major civil jury trials for 5 years. Judge Rau has served on the National Judicial College's faculty teaching advanced evidence to judges since 2007, received Certificates in Judicial Development and General Jurisdiction Trial Skills and Dispute Resolution Skills from the National Judicial College, and is nearing completion of her master's degree in Judicial Studies. Judge Rau served as the Co-Chair of the Court's Judicial Education Committee which provides regular educational programs to over 100 judges. Judge Rau has taught as an adjunct instructor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Villanova Law School, and is a frequent continuing education instructor for attorneys. Judge Rau established the Court's Judicial Fellowship Program which has placed over 300 talented law graduates in volunteer service as fellows for judges to enhance their legal training and experience until they secure paid employment. Judge Rau cofounded the MENTOR Re-entry Court that seeks to reduce recidivism by providing intensive mentoring and supportive services to citizens post-conviction and by rewarding successful participants by shortening the length of their court supervision. Judge Rau established and coordinated the Court's liaison program with the landlord tenant bar to provide better access to the courts for self-represented and low-income litigants and helped create the Landlord Tenant Appeal Mediation Program (L TAMP). Prior to becoming a member of the judiciary, Judge Rau was a partner at Kairys, Rudovsky, Epstein, Messing & Rau and was an attorney at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP). As a lawyer, she specialized in complex, employment, and class action litigation.

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Judge Rau received her J.D. from Stanford Law School where she was an associate editor of the Stanford Law Review and received her B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with high honors in psychology, from Colgate University. Before entering the legal profession, Judge Rau served for two years in the United States Peace Corps teaching health and nutrition in rural areas of Thailand. Lee D. Rosenfeld, Esq. Lee Rosenfeld is a Managing Partner of Messa & Associates and concentrates his practice on serious injury litigation, including automobile/trucking accidents; premises liability; workplace accidents; medical malpractice; products liability; and other serious injury claims.

For more than twenty years, Mr. Rosenfeld has successfully represented victims of personal injuries. From 1995 to 2005, he worked for a Philadelphia-based trial firm and developed his substantial litigation experience. In 2006, Mr. Rosenfeld launched his own firm aimed at maximizing his clients’ recoveries in serious injury claims and providing them with compassion and respect. Messa & Associates, P.C. was happy to welcome Mr. Rosenfeld to the firm in 2007.

While he has spent over two decades sharpening his courtroom skills, Mr. Rosenfeld also has substantial experience in all forms of alternative dispute resolution. He has successfully conducted numerous jury trials and participated in hundreds of arbitrations/mediations which have resulted in millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients. Whenever possible, Mr. Rosenfeld seeks to spare his clients the expense and hardships of litigation. However, he prepares every case for trial and is well-equipped to fight in the courtroom when necessary.

Mr. Rosenfeld is currently admitted to the bars in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Georgia. In addition to maintaining his busy practice, he is also very active in the legal community and his memberships include the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, Philadelphia Bar Association, and Georgia Bar Association. Mr. Rosenfeld has also been consistently recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer every year since 2011. He maintains contacts and resources throughout the legal community and uses them to benefit his clients.

James P. Tolerico, Esq. Mr. Tolerico joined State Farm Insurance Philadelphia Claims Litigation Counsel (Robert J. Casey, Jr. & Associates) in March of 2011. Before that, he practiced general civil defense litigation for seven years. He has tried numerous jury trials in Philadelphia. Mr. Tolerico presently serves as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Rules and Procedure Committee of the State Civil litigation Section, as a member of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, and as Chair of his firm's Social Committee.

Mr. Tolerico earned his undergraduate degree from University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and his law degree from Villanova University School of Law. His philosophy for the practice of law is to try to always be a gentleman because that is persuasive and genuine.

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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS Wild World of Jury Selection

Right to Jury - PA Constitution Article 1 Section 6 ......................................................... 1

Right to Jury - 42 Pa.C.S.A § 5104 ....................................................................................... 1

Jury Size - Philadelphia Local Rule 1007.2 ...................................................................... 2

Qualifications of Jurors - 42 Pa.C.S.A §4502 ........................................................ 3

Exemptions from Jury Duty - 42 Pa. C.S.A §4503 ............................................................ 3

Protection of employment for Jurors - 42 Pa.C.S.A §4563 ............................................. 4

What can ask ajuror in voir dire? Pa.R.Civ. P. 220.3 ...................................................... 5

Number of Peremptory Strikes - Pa.R.Civ. P. 221 (each party gets 4 strikes) .............................................................................................................. 7

Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ARTICLE I. DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

Trial by Jury

Section 6.

Trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof remain inviolate. The General assembly may provide, however, by law, that a verdict may be rendered by not less than five-sixths of the jury in any civil case. Furthermore, in criminal cases, the Commonwealth shall have the same right to trial by jury as does the accused.

Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE

Chapter 51 - Preliminary Provisions

§ 5104. Trial by jury. (a) General rule.--Except where the right to trial by jury is enlarged by statute, trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof shall remain inviolate. Trial by jury may be waived in the manner prescribed by general rules. (b) Civil verdicts.--In any civil case a verdict rendered by at least five-sixths of the jury shall be the verdict of the jury and shall have the same effect as a unanimous verdict of the jury. (c) Criminal matters.--In criminal cases the Commonwealth shall have the same right to trial by jury as does the accused. (Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days) 1978 Amendment. Act 53 amended subsec. (a) and added subsec. (c).

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Pennsylvania Statutes Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

§ 4502. Qualifications of jurors

(a) General rule.--Every citizen of this Commonwealth who is of the required minimum age for voting for State or local officials and who resides in the county shall be qualified to serve as a juror therein unless such citizen: (1) is unable to read, write, speak and understand the English language;

(2) is incapable, by reason of mental or physical infirmity, to render efficient jury service;  or

(3) has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and has not been granted a pardon or amnesty therefor.

(b) Definition.--For purposes of this section, “convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year” does not include a conviction for any offense under or violation of the former act of May 1, 1929 (P.L. 905, No. 403),   1 known as The Vehicle Code, or the former act of April 29, 1959 (P.L. 58, No. 32),   2 known as The Vehicle Code, which offense or violation, if it had been committed after July 1, 1977: (1) would have been substantially similar to an offense currently graded as a summary offense under 75 Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles);  or

(2) would not have been a violation of law.

1 75 P.S. § 1 et seq. (repealed);  see 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq. 2 75 P.S. § 101 et seq. (repealed);  see 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.

Pennsylvania Statutes Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

§ 4503. Exemptions from jury duty

(a) General rule.--No person shall be exempt or excused from jury duty except the following: (1) Persons in active service of the armed forces of the United States or of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

(2) Persons who have served within three years next preceding on any jury except a person who served as a juror for fewer than three days in any one year in which case the exemption period shall be one year.

(3) Persons demonstrating to the court undue hardship or extreme inconvenience may be excused permanently or for such period as the court determines is necessary, and if excused for a limited period shall, at the end of the period, be assigned to the next jury array.

(4) Spouses, children, siblings, parents, grandparents and grandchildren of victims of criminal homicide under 18 Pa.C.S. § 2501 (relating to criminal homicide). (5) Persons who have previously served for a term of 18 months on a Statewide investigating grand jury, including any extensions thereof, who opt not to serve.

(6) Persons 75 years of age or older who request to be excused.

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(7) Judges and magisterial district judges of the Commonwealth and judges of the United States as defined in 28 U.S.C. § 451 (relating to definitions). (8) Breastfeeding women who request to be excused.

(b) Challenges.--This subchapter shall not affect the existing practice with respect to peremptory challenges and challenges for cause.

Pennsylvania Statutes Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

§ 4563. Protection of employment of petit and grand jurors.

(a) General rule.--An employer shall not deprive an employee of his employment, seniority position or benefits, or threaten or otherwise coerce him with respect thereto, because the employee receives a summons, responds thereto, serves as a juror or attends court for prospective jury service. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the employer to compensate the employee for employment time lost because of such jury service.

(b) Penalty.--Any employer who violates subsection (a) commits a summary offense.

(c) Civil remedy available.--If an employer penalizes an employee in violation of subsection (a) the employee may bring a civil action for recovery of wages and benefits lost as a result of the violation and for an order requiring the reinstatement of the employee. Damages recoverable shall not exceed wages and benefits actually lost. If he prevails, the employee shall be allowed a reasonable attorney's fee fixed by the court.

(d) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to any employer in any retail or service industry employing fewer than 15 persons or any employer in any manufacturing industry employing fewer than 40 persons.

(e) Right to excuse.--Any individual not entitled to reemployment under subsection (a) shall, upon request to the court, be excused from jury service.

(Dec. 20, 1982, P.L.1409, No.326, eff. 60 days)

Cross References. Section 4563 is referred to in section 5522 of this title.

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