Q. Judge Smith, how has law practice changed since you started? A. I became a lawyer in 1987. As a newbie, my boss tasked me with legal research, writing, and reviewing documents that the parties had produced for lawsuits. Let’s compare how I did that work then and now. Nineteen-Hundred-and-Eighty-Seven 1987 was nearing the end…
Q. Judge Smith, what are the pros and cons of the parties settling their civil lawsuits, and how do you encourage the parties to negotiate deals? A. Most lawsuits center on the issues of liability and damages. Even if the defendant’s liability is a given, the plaintiff’s ability to collect an award of damages…
Imagine a world in which newspapers have been bankrupted and shuttered. Imagine that Reddit, the Drudge Report and Red Pill are no more and that social media platforms forbid political discussion of any stripe. Imagine that while some television and radio news show still exist, they only feature endless stories about cats and dogs, and…
By Judge J. Layne Smith Q. Judge Smith, what is a default judgment? Does a default judgment end the case? A. Due process of law requires notice and an opportunity to be heard. Plaintiffs begin lawsuits by filing complaints against defendants. The purpose of a complaint is to tell a defendant what he did, how…
Question: “Judge Smith, what advice can you give about cross-examining witnesses?” – Tate I have spent thousands of hours trying to master the art of cross-examination, and I’m still learning. Let me give you a shortened version of what I teach to law students. The purpose of a discovery deposition is to learn what the…
Question: “Judge Smith, how many hours a week do you work?” – Lyla It depends. I directly control the number of hearings and trials I set each week. I have no control over new case assignments, same-day emergency hearings, and same-day filers. I am more familiar with my last docket, so I’ll answer your question…
Winter has finally made an appearance in North Florida! When it gets this chilly outside, there are a number of actions to take in order to keep your family, friends, pets, and plants safe. Here are four of them. Bring your pets inside These cool temperatures are harmful to people and animals alike if not…
Economic Equilibrium is the goal, but how do we get there? We (the legislature) passed a bill addressing the property insurance market because the market needs correction. Florida consumers are experiencing non-renewals and insurance premium hikes because of natural disasters, litigation, and insurance companies going out of business or deciding to no longer do business…
It is easy to get swept up in the holidays – firstly, because for most of us (though not news reporters or editors, mind you…) days like Memorial Day are a nice three-day weekend away from the workplace. By the time Memorial Day comes around, the weather is warming up – or just plain hot…
