Maryland Trial Lawyers Association


2003-2004 Officers President


J. Mitchell Lambros Cockeysville


President-Elect


Walter E. Laake, Jr. Greenbelt


Vice President


Alison D. Kohler Baltimore


Secretary


Elizabeth Jesukiewicz Frey Washington, D.C.


Treasurer


David F. Albright, Jr. Baltimore


Parliamentarian Immediate Past President


Dennis F. O’Brien Baltimore


Robert K. Jenner Baltimore


Board of Governors


Thomas C. Cardaro Baltimore


Dwayne A. Brown Baltimore


Rodney M. Gaston Baltimore


Mitchell A. Greenberg Baltimore


Kevin I Goldberg Silver Springs


Richard L. Jaklitsch Upper Marlboro


David A. Harak Baltimore


David M. Kopstein Seabrook


Andrew H. Kahn Baltimore


Stephen A. Markey, III Baltimore


Louise A. Lock Baltimore


Matthew M. Paavola Baltimore


Kevin McCarthy Bowie


Nicole Schultheis Baltimore


George S. Tolley, III Tinonium


Kerry D. Staton Baltimore


Harry B. Siegel Columbia


Wayne M. Willoughby Baltimore


Roger S. Weinberg Towson


Simon Walton Baltimore


Robert J. Zarbin Baltimore


ATLA Governors


Augustus F. Brown Bel Air


Leonard A. Orman Baltimore


Robert K. Jenner Baltimore


ATLA State Delegates


Nicole L. Schultheis Baltimore


David A. Harak Baltimore


ATLA Minority Caucus Delegate


Kerry D. Staton Baltimore


Executive Director Robert A. Lembo


2 Trial Reporter


In this issue…


President’s Message ...................................................................................... 3 Recent Motor Tort Decisions From Maryland’s Apellate Courts ................... 4 Rules of Procedure Update ........................................................................... 8 Handling The Minor Property Damage Accident: Miracles Can Happen ........................................................................... 10


President’s Club ......................................................................................... 14 Is Common Sense Non-Sense? ................................................................... 15 Crash Data Record Systems: What They Can Do For You ......................... 18 From the Listserve ..................................................................................... 22 Appellate Watch ......................................................................................... 30 Appellate Decision ..................................................................................... 36 MTLA Wins Award From Maryland State Bar ........................................... 36 Recent Verdicts & Settlements ................................................................... 38 Calendar of Events ..................................................................................... 50


MTLA Past Presidents


Robert K. Jenner ................................ 2002 Bruce M. Plaxen ................................ 2001 Philip O. Foard .................................. 2000 William T. Wood ............................... 1999 Andrew E. Bederman ......................... 1998 Vicki L. Dexter .................................. 1997 William O’Brien Finch, Jr. ................. 1996 Hon. Gary I. Strausberg ..................... 1995 Daniel M. Clements .......................... 1994 Augustus F. Brown ............................. 1993 A. Harold DuBois .............................. 1992 Martin H. Freeman............................ 1991 Jonathan Schochor ............................. 1990 William J. Blondell, Jr. ....................... 1989 George W. White, Jr. ......................... 1988 John J. Sellinger ................................. 1987 Paul D. Bekman ................................ 1986 Stuart M. Salsbury ............................. 1985 Leonard A. Orman ............................ 1984 Jerome J. Seidenman .......................... 1983 Robert R. Michael ............................. 1982 Joel J. Shugarman .............................. 1981 Clarence M. Thomas ......................... 1980 Joseph A. Miklasz .............................. 1979 George W. Shadoan ........................... 1978


Leo A. Hughes, Jr. ............................. 1977 Richard R. Beauchemin ..................... 1976 Robert C. Verderaime ........................ 1975 James G. Perry ................................... 1974 Thomas L. Hennessey ........................ 1973 Archibald Eccleston, III ..................... 1972 Raymond E. Callegary ....................... 1971 Lloyd S. Mailman .............................. 1970 Wallace Dann .................................... 1969 Johnson Bowie ................................... 1968 Jesse Spector ...................................... 1967 Leroy W. Preston ............................... 1966 Calvert R. Bregel ................................ 1965 Jacob Matz ......................................... 1964 Calvin E. Cohn.................................. 1963 Irwin M. Sussman.............................. 1962 John B. Wright .................................. 1961 Claude L. Callegary ........................... 1960 Hon. Joseph I. Pines .......................... 1959 Hyman A. Pressman .......................... 1958 John J. O’Connor .............................. 1957 Albert J. Goodman ............................ 1956 Bernard M. Goldstein ........................ 1955 Max R. Israelson ................................ 1954


Trial Reporter Committee Editor-in-Chief, Louise A. Lock; Assistant Editor, John J. Condliffe Elliot Andalman, Brian S. Brown, Charles R. Claxton, Pamela S. Foresman, Kevin I. Goldberg, Mitchell A. Greenberg, Mark E. Herman, Peter A. Holland, Kathleen Maynard, Craig D. Miller, Dennis F. O’Brien, Leslie H. Russo, Eric N. Stravitz, David J. Wildberger, Michael C. Worsham


Publisher/Editor, Robert A. Lembo, Esq., Assistant Staff Editor, Michael Myers


Trial Reporter is a quarterly publication of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association. As a forum for the bar, bench and others concerned with the civil trial practice and the administration of justice, we encourage your views and opinions. Letters, articles, and proposals may be submitted to the publisher.


Statements and opinions expressed in editorials, articles and commentaries are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association. Publication of any advertiser’s claim or of any author’s statement, opinion or commentary, should not be construed as an endorsement by MTLA. Trial Reporter will not be liable for loss or damage incurred in any advertisement published.


Trial Reporter is the property of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association and its contents may not be reproduced or reprinted without permission from the publisher at MTLA, 120 W. Fayette St., Suite 711, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. Phone: (410) 539-4336. E-mail: mtla@mdtriallawyers.com


ON THE COVER  Photo with permission from www.freefoto.com Fall 2003


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