Elder Law Clinic Student Wins Jury Trial

May 18, 2008

After the spring semester had ended and other students were finally getting to relax, one of our 3L students was handling a tough, 4 day jury trial. It was a bit like hand-to-hand combat, and an experience that many lawyers have never known.

As part of her experience in The Elder Law Clinic, Genevieve ("Gen") Markey handled a 4 day trial, from start to finish. Gen, who also won the Zeliff Trial Competition this year, represented a couple who had been trying to buy a small house. When the sellers refused to turn it over, after all payments had been made, the Elder Law Clinic filed suit for breach of contract and other claims.

Gen Markey briefed and argued motions in limine (to exclude evidence), gave the opening statement, did direct examinations and cross examinations of witnesses, argued evidence issues, and made the plaintiffs' closing argument. She won a very good verdict from the jury, who stayed into the evening on Friday to deliberate. (Gen also took depositions in the case, in February, and argued summary judgment motions in March.)

There are still some issues to be appealed to the Court of Appeals in the fall, which might generate an even better result for our clients.

To learn about the other accomplishments of E-Clinic students, see the latest newsletter in your mailbox or on the law school website, at http://law.wfu.edu/clinics/elder/documents/newsletter.2008.spring.pdf

The other spring-semester E-Clinic students who were dedicated advocates, and are to be commended for their community service and enhanced lawyering skills, are: Whitney Passmore, Kristin Price, Grant Dunham, Rick Rutledge, Ben Moeller, Josh Apple, and Monica Julian.