The college basketball scene here in Tucson has been a little chaotic. Unless you have been hanging out in your basement all week, you are now aware that ESPN recently reported having knowledge of an alleged FBI wiretap recording of a phone conversation between University of Arizona head coach S...
Schmidt, Sethi & Akmajian Blog
Restitution: Az Does Not Follow Restatement § 78
Knightbrook Ins. Co. v. Payless Car Rental, __Ariz. Adv. Rep.__ No. Cv-17-0156-CQ (February 8, 2018) (J. Lopez) ARIZONAS EQUITABLE INDEMNITY LAW DOES NOT ALLOW AN ACTION FOR RESTITUTION BASED UPON PAYMENT OF AN OBLIGATION THE PAYOR “JUSTIFIABLY BELIEVES” THE DEFENDANT IS PRIMARILY OBLIGATED TO ...
Arbitration: Signed Agreement to Arbitrate vs Rule Making Power
Arbitration: Signed Agreement to Arbitrate vs Rule Making Power Allstate Prop. amp; Cas. Ins. Co. v. Watts Water Technologies, Inc., __ Ariz. Adv. Rep. __, No1 CA CV 16-0500 (App. Div. I, February 6, 2018) (J. Gemmill) WHERE PARTIES SIGNED CONTRACT AGREEING TO ARBITRATE CLAIMS AND LATER AMENDE...
New Arizona Phone Law: No Phone Use Whatsoever While Driving
The City of Tucson recently put some bite into its already existing ban on texting while driving. As of February 1st, Tucson police were authorized to stop anyone they see using cell phones while driving. Before, police had to have another reason for the stop. Now, cell phone use alone justifi...
Where Can You Sue Corporations? Personal Jurisdiction After SCOTUS 2017.
The trilogy—Daimler AG v. Bauman, S. Ct. (2014); BNSF Railway Co. V. Tyrell, 137 S. Ct. 1549 (2017) amp; Bristol-Meyers Squib Co. v. Superior Court, 137 S. Ct. 1773 (2017) Personal Jurisdiction over out of state corporation can be general or specific. General—defendants contacts with forum st...
1983 Claim: Qualified Immunity of Social Worker
Demaree v Pederson, No 14-16207 (9th Cir., January 23, 2018) (Per Curiam) NO QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR SOCIAL WORKERS WHO REMOVE CHILDREN FROM HOME WITHOUT WARRANT WHERE THERE IS NO IMMINENT HARM TO CHILDREN AT THE TIME TO JUSTIFY THE REMOVAL Child Protective Services removed plaintiffs children ...
Torts—Duty of Employer to Employee of Independent Contractor/Excluding Expert Testimony & Redacting Depositions for Trial
Vanoss v. BHP Copper Inc., 782 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 21 (App. Div. II, January 8, 2018) (J. Ekerstrom) EMPLOYER IS NOT VICARIOUSLY LIABLE FOR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS NEGLIGENCE IN CAUSING DEATH OF INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS EMPLOYEE/EXCLUDING EXPERT TESTIMONY DEPENDENT UPON VICARIOUS LIABILITY APPROPRI...
Evidence—Abrogation of Physician Patient Privilege by Statute AHCCCS Fraud
State v. Zeitner, 782 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 4 (App. Div. I, January 16, 2018) (J. Johnsen) Defendant was convicted of defrauding the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) by lying to a physician to obtain coverage for an abortion. She objected attempted to assert the physician patient...
Choice of Law: Workers Compensation Subrogation Rights
Jackson v. Eagle KMC LLC, 782 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 7 (App. Div. I, January 16, 2018) (J. Orozco)NATURE AND EXTENT OF WORKERS COMP LIEN SUBROGATION AND ASSIGNMENT RIGHTS IN THIRD PARTY ACTION DETERMINED BY LAW WHERE COMP BENEFITS ARE PAID. Plaintiff, a South Carolina resident, was employed as a truck ...
How to Manage Your Caseload and Your Time
Matt Schmidt recently spoke to law students at the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. He offered his advice to help out law students with their school life and time management when they become attorneys. You can read through his presentation at the link below: Managing...
Arizona Court of Appeals: Attorneys Have no Claim for Contingent Fee Unless the Agreement is in Writing
In Levine v. Haralson, Miller, Pitt, Feldman amp; McAnally, No. 1 CA-CV 16-0590 (January 25, 2018), the Arizona Court of Appeals addressed a contingent fee claim by an attorney. The attorney at one time had represented the plaintiff. Plaintiff and the attorney had a falling out, and the Plaint...
The Disgrace of USA Gymnastics, Michigan State, and Larry Nassar - UPDATED
I have forced myself to listen to the testimony of dozens of women -- some as young as 14 and some superstars like Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney -- as part of Larry Nassars sentencing hearing. For many years, Nassar was central to USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, where he served ...
Wrongful Conduct Rule Adopted in Arizona
Torts—Wrongful Conduct Rule Muscat v. Creative Innervisions LLC, 781 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 4 (App. Div. I, December 26, 2017) (J. Brown) WRONGFUL CONDUCT RULE ADOPTED IN ARIZONA: HARMS ARISING SOLELY FROM CONSEQUENCES OF PLAINTIFFS OWN CRIMINAL CONDUCT DO NOT CONSTITUTE LEGALLY COGNIZABLE INJURIES T...
Newsletter January 2018
Our January 2018 Newsletter has been released! We discuss the following topics: Religion in the Courtroom Clients amp; Lawyers - Rights amp; Obligations The Costs amp; Benefits of a Structured Settlement Injured on the Job Click here to read through all of it and find out the latest ...
Do I Have a Case? Part II: The Second Element of Case Evaluation
Though the evaluation of every case is unique, three primary elements come into play in almost every single one. In Part I of this series, I discussed the first element: liability. To have a case, the wrongdoers actions have to be considered unreasonable and unacceptable by society and law. If l...
Civil Procedure: Rule 15(c)(2) Amend Complaint to Relate Back & Avoid Statute of Limitations
Richardson v. All Services ULTD, Inc., __Az Adv. Rep. __No. 1 CA-CV 15-0642 (App. Div. I, December 14, 2017) (J. Howe) PLAINTIFFS MISTAKEN BELIEF AS TO PROPER PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR INJURY CONSTITUTES MISTAKE AS TO IDENTITY OF PROPER PARTY UNDER ARIZ R CIV PRO 15(c)(2)/ AMENDING COMPLAINT ADDI...
Civil Procedure-Public Records Requests-Search Database
Lunney v. State of Arizona, 779 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 6 (App. Div. I, December 7 , 2017( (J. McMurdie) AGENCY REQUIRED TO QUERY amp; SEARCH VARIOUS DATABASES IN RESPONSE TO PROPER REQUEST/PRIVATE PHONE USE IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE RENDERS PRIVATE PHONE DATA ATTAINABLE Following their sons death in a...
Torts: Qualified Immunity re Failure to Arrest
Noriega v. Town of Miami, 776 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 24 (App. Div. II, October 26, 2017) (J. Vasquez)WHILE POLICE HAVE QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR FAILING TO ARREST SOMEONE WHERE POLICE KNOW OF THREAT TO HARM A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL AND STATE TO THAT POTENTIAL VICTIM THAT THEY CAN ARREST THE PERPETRATOR A SPEC...
Torts: Negligent Use of Force by Police Officer
McDonald v. Napier, 776 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 7 (App. Div. II, October 18, 2017) (J. Eckerstrom) NEGLIGENCE IN DECISION MAKING TO ULTIMATELY INTENTIONALLY RELEASE A POLICE DOG RESULTING IN INJURY TO PLAINTIFF DOES NOT REQUIRE THE CLAIM BE BROUGHT AS AN INTENTIONAL TORT OF BATTERY AND THE DEFENSE OF JU...
Dangerous Product: Crib and Toddler Mattress Recall
23,400 crib and toddler mattresses by Dream On Me have been recalled according to Consumer Reports. The beds failed to meet federal flammability standards and were sold on Amazon.com, Kohls.com, ToyRUs.com, Walmart.com, and Wayfair.com from January 2016 through December 2016. To read more about...
State of the State Courts Survey Analysis Results
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) contracted with GBA Strategies to conduct a comprehensive public opinion survey of 1,000 registered voters in order to gauge current levels of public trust and confidence in the state courts. Here are some of the most surprising findings: Nearly ...
URGING SHERIFF TO ISSUE CITATIONS AND A PROSECUTOR TO PROSECUTE THOSE CITATIONS FOR A LEGITIMATE PURPOSE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ABUSE OF PROCESS
Torts: Abuse of Process Fappani v. Bratton, 778 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 8 (App. Div. I, November 16, 2017) (J. Brown) Plaintiff built a private dirt motorbike track on his property for use by his children. Defendant successfully urged the Maricopa County Sheriff to issue two citations for excessive no...
Do I have a case? Part I: The First Main Element of Case Evaluation
The situation of every person who calls us or walks through our door is unique. Every case is different, and a book could be written on the amount of factors that go into evaluating whether someone has a case. Almost every case we look at, however, must contain at least three main elements to jus...
Default Judgements; Jurisdiction
Civil Procedure/Constitutional Law—Personal Jurisdiction Smith amp; Wesson Corp. v. The Wuster, __Ariz. Adv. Rep. __ No. 1CA-CV 160378 (App. Div. I, November 21, 2017) (J. Thumma) A DEFAULT JUDGMENT IS VOID IF NOT SUPPORTED BY WELL-PLED FACTS WHERE DEFENDANT ESTABLISHES IN UNTIMELY MOTION TO ...
SSA Represents Child Victims of Sexual Assault
Dev Sethi represents two young girls, aged 12, who were sexually assaulted by a 70 year old Sierra Vista School District bus driver. That driver has now plead no contest to criminal charges related to his interactions with these girls. This case was recently profiled on KVOA News 4 by Matthew S...