Frank D. Rothschild

The State of NITA has charged Arthur Jackson and his assistant, Sonia Peterson, with commercial arson. Prosecutors allege that the two conspired with George Avery to burn down the Flinders Aluminum Fabrication factory. The original trial resulted in a hung jury, after which Sonia Peterson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit a felony and agreed to testify against Arthur Jackson. Jackson maintains his innocence. Avery cannot testify because he died in the fire. There are four witnesses for both the State and the defense. Videos of the fire, deposition statements, and a PowerPoint presentation are available as free downloads. A companion civil case file, Flinders v. Mismo, involves Jackson suing to recover from the company that insured the plant. New to the Eleventh Edition: Electronic media exhibits Sparky the arson dog New financial parameters Professors and students will benefit from: Video depositions The flexibility to use this file as either a brief or an extended exercise Experiential learning opportunities Impeachment exercises

When the Flinders Aluminum Fabrication Corporation burns to the ground, killing George Avery, suspicion falls on CEO Arthur Jackson. In fact, Mismo Fire Insurance Company is so certain that the fire was deliberately set that it has denied the insurance claim. Jackson, the sole stockholder in the financially troubled corporation, has filed a civil action to recover damages against Mismo for the denied claim. Mismo asserts that Jackson conspired with others to burn the plant in order to fraudulently collect the insurance policy. Did we mention that the deceased Avery is a suspected "torch," implicated in the burning of two other commercial buildings in Nita City? That reputation isn't helping Jackson's case, but he claims he hired Avery, a talented designer, to help him modernize the Flinders plant. The intrigue grows when it is revealed that one of the witnesses against Jackson has a serious axe to grind that could be clouding her vision. This entertaining file presents a well-balanced case that can be also tried as a condensed or an advanced experience. New to the Eleventh Edition: Electronic media exhibits Sparky the arson dog New financial parameters Professors and students will benefit from: Video depositions The flexibility to use this file as either a brief or an extended exercise Experiential learning opportunities Impeachment exercises

An inattentive moment costs a woman her life--the question is, which party wasn't paying attention? Charles Shrackle's truck struck and killed Katherine Potter as she crossed the street in Nita City. In the wrongful death action brought by her estate, the plaintiff claims Shrackle failed to yield to Katherine as she crossed in the crosswalk. Shrackle claims that Mrs. Potter stepped out in front of his truck from the median, well away from the crosswalk. Conflicting eyewitnesses support both versions of the accident. This classic file is ideal for teaching basic trial skills. It has been updated to include social media exhibits and text messages, but the basic questions remain. Was Katherine Potter crossing in a crosswalk? Was the accident caused by the use of a cell phone? Was Jeffrey Potter involved in an affair when his wife died? There are six witnesses for the plaintiff and four witnesses for the defendants. New to the Eighth Edition: Updated exhibits reflect accurate dates for events Professors and students will benefit from: Social media evidence Practice with both fact and expert witness examination

When Judge John Dixon was found on the floor of his home office with a gunshot wound to the head, there was no question of foul play. Behind the locked door of his office, Judge Dixon shot himself with favorite shotgun. The only question is, was this an accident-or suicide? Plaintiff Mary Dixon demands that Providential Life Insurance Company pay on her husband's $1 million life insurance policy, taken out shortly before his death. Providential refuses, citing the suicide provision of the policy. The medical examiner determined the death was accidental, but Providential claims the medical examiner's conclusion was tainted by his friendship with the judge and a hasty investigation, and that Dixon's death was, in fact, a suicide. Would this seemingly happy, well-respected judge to kill himself? Was Judge Dixon the churchgoing social conservative that his public persona suggested? Did his shotgun accidentally discharge while he, an experienced hunter and gun owner, was cleaning it in a darkened room-or was he troubled by a secret that was about to be exposed and made suicide seem like his only way out? This well-balanced file challenges advocates for both the plaintiff and the defendant. Programs using it see equal numbers of verdicts for both the plaintiff and the defense. There are five witnesses for the plaintiff and four for the defendant. Dixon v. Providential Life Insurance Company has a courtroom technology focus and includes electronic evidence in the form of photographs, diagrams, documents, emails, and text messages. It includes a web link to color versions of all exhibits, the audio clip of Mary Dixon's 911 call, and deposition video clips to use for impeachment purposes. The Seventh Edition is based on the original case file by James H. Seckinger, as updated and upgraded by Edward R. Stein and Frank D. Rothschild.

Johnny Fitzgerald died after his vehicle collided with a train. Was Johnny at fault? Did he intentionally drive is car into the train? Or was the railroad negligent in not providing adequate warnings at the crossing and in the operation of the train? Students can test their skills in this wrongful death case file that can be used as a comparative negligence trial file, a negotiation file, or a fact investigation file. There are five witnesses for each party, including engineering and economic experts. The Fifth Edition includes the addition of an economic expert witness for the defense, and a text message exhibit.

Kenneth Brown claims he can't engage in any strenuous exercise and that a muscle relaxant his doctor prescribes does not allow him to drink any alcohol. Both of these inconveniences, Brown is convinced, is a result of being rear-ended by the defendant, Robert Byrd, and Brown is suing to recover damages for neck, back, and closed-head injuries. However, Brown has been observed exercising and drinking alcohol. Byrd maintains that the collision was in no way serious enough to cause Brown's alleged injuries. There are two witnesses for both the plaintiff and the defendant in this personal injury case file.

At what point does a friendly conversation end and a business consultation begin? That is the question explored in this business contracts case file. The plaintiff, Roberta Quinlan, demands a broker fee of $300,000 that she is convinced she is entitled to be paid for her services as a business broker. The defendant, Brian Kane, however, maintains that Quinlan simply offered friendly advice on the sale of his business, Kane Electronics, to Nita Computer World and therefore he owes her no fee. There are two witnesses for both the plaintiff and the defendant.