Who Wrote That Up For You?

Latest Episodes:

Jill K. Berkana, Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 26, 2022 Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

Jill Berkana is the owner of the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy in Longmont, Colorado, an accelerated certification program for aspiring massage therapists. She has practiced massage therapy for 32 years and has begun offering expert witness services in cases where massage therapists are accused of misconduct, often of a sexual nature in their treatment of clients. Jill shared her experience working with litigators as an expert witness on claims against massage therapists.

– Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Berkanainstitute/
– Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkanainstitute/
– Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/massageberkana
– Connect on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5V5W6I5d42XeBiXPJkyyKA
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berkana
– Visit the website: https://www.berkanainstitute.com/

For more on the need to fix U.S. courts, subscribe to "Who Wrote That Up For You?" wherever you listen to podcasts. If you're in court without a lawyer, visit courtroom5.com to get access to justice today.

Stephanie Ebron's Winning Case; Paul Campson, Campson Law - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 25, 2022 Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Stephanie Ebron, Sonja's first cousin, described the home remodeling job that landed her in court. The contractor adjusted the estimate upwards by $20,000 halfway through the job, and when Stephanie wouldn't pay, she damaged the home and sued Stephanie for breach of contract. The contractor was representing her own company in the case, but Stephanie discovered the contractor was required to hire a lawyer and got the case dismissed. The process left her feeling brave, feisty, and ready for a fight.

– Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sebron1968
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-ebron-b89935172/

Attorney Paul Campson practices personal injury law in New York. His small firm, Campson & Campson, represents people injured by e-cigarettes, lead paint, and mold in class actions. He shared tips for pro se litigants handling these matters to ensure their claims are not dismissed and that they have the evidence needed to win at trial, but he believes such cases require legal representation to have a fair chance of success. In the past, Attorney Campson has worked pro bono for victims of 9/11, and he now represents them in injury claims.

– Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Campson-Law-109538907080215/
– Connect on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CampsonLaw
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/campsonlaw
– Visit the website: https://campsonlaw.com/

Eric F. Wright, Sr. on Trauma and Access to Courts - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 24, 2022 Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

Eric Wright practiced law for five years in Louisiana before relocating to New York and serving as a law clerk, an experience that provided unique insights into access to the courts. The traumas held by many people during their interactions with the court are also things he witnessed as a legal and community activist. Eric joined #WhoWroteThat to share his perspectives on the relationships between resources and trauma and court access. A recurring theme was the need to have a "spirit of preparation" in the expectation that dealing with the courts, particularly for people in Black and Brown communities, was a matter of when, not if.

– Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/E_FWrightSr
– Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkhorseQue2
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/efwrightsrlinked/

Nick Rishwain, Experts.com - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 21, 2022 Oct 21, 2022

Show notes

Nick Rishwain at Experts.com explained the difference between fact witnesses and expert witnesses. Where fact witnesses can testify to what they directly saw or heard, expert witnesses have expertise in specific fields that allow them to interpret facts for a judge or jury. Nick also explained that many expert witnesses shy away from working with pro se litigants due to the need for high retainers and the layman's general lack of knowledge about the litigation process.

– Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickJRishwain
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishwain/
– Visit the website: https://www.experts.com/
– See LegalTechLive: https://legaltechlive.com/

Co-hosts Sonja and Debra Recall the Origin Story - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 20, 2022 Oct 21, 2022

Show notes

"Who Wrote That Up For You?" co-hosts Sonja Ebron and Debra Slone took the 29th episode of the show to recollect the events underlying the show's name. A deliberate strategy of delaying a foreclosure case found them arguing for the right to depose the bank's lawyer and two vice presidents of the bank. There were discrepancies in the complaint related to a required verification of facts, and Sonja and Debra took full advantage of it to delay answering the complaint for three years.

The oral argument was surreptitiously recorded, and Sonja can be heard urging the court to issue subpoenas for deposition to make the bank account for these discrepancies before the case was allowed to proceed. The judge interrupted the argument near its conclusion to ask, "Who wrote that up for you?", on the assumption that Sonja and Debra, whom she knew to be self-represented, could not have prepared it. The judge ruled in their favor and directed the clerk to begin the subpoena process for all three witnesses.

The show earned its name because the goal is to empower millions of self-represented litigants to draw this question from judges until they are no longer surprised at credible legal arguments from laypeople. The courts belong to the people, and we the people are coming to claim our courts.

Kitt's Name Change Struggle; Mary Oram, Property Manager - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 19, 2022 Oct 20, 2022

Show notes

Kitt never liked her given first name. So when she retired, she sought a court order to change it. There was a local court procedure and forms for changing one's name, but that was the least of her worries. As it turned out, Kitt was required to run a notice in the local paper of record, then change a driver's license and social security record. Still, it took months to get other agencies and corporations to recognize the change.

Mary Oram is a realtor, notary public, and property manager who is constantly fielding disputes between property owners and their tenants. Many routine tasks can go wrong from a legal perspective when dealing with property and tenants' rights. There are areas where she can provide legal information -- but not legal advice -- to both tenants and property owners. Even providing legal information, if it's incorrect or interpreted incorrectly, can land the company (and her, personally) in legal hot waters. Mary's firm keeps a lawyer on retainer to ensure she stays on the right side of the law.

Major Gwen Sheppard Gets Justice In Court - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 18, 2022 Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Gwen Sheppard, a retired U.S. Air Force major, invited a homeless veteran to use her spare bedroom so he could get on his feet. While Gwen was traveling, her new guest became a disruptive presence in the home and a disturbance to others living there. She asked him to leave. He complied the next day, but he also stole or destroyed several thousand dollars worth of her property.

Gwen filed a police report but, seeing no action on the matter for several months, prepared to take it to small claims court. She gathered her evidence and brushed up on court procedures. Fortunately, the city prosecutor in Browndeer, Wisconsin took her case to criminal court, using the evidence and testimony of another household member. Gwen was deposed and subpoenaed to testify at trial -- she was even cross-examined by the defendant -- but relieved of having to try her own case. The judge ruled in her favor and ordered the defendant to pay restitution. Gwen received the award and was profoundly satisfied with her treatment in court.

– Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/too2tuff
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwen-sheppard-35b71312/

Michael D.J. Eisenberg, The Tech Savvy Lawyer - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 17, 2022 Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

Michael D.J. Eisenberg shared the engineering background that caused him to be a constant source of free technical support for fellow lawyers after he launched a small law firm 16 years ago. The experience led him to create The Tech Savvy Lawyer, a website and podcast for sharing technology and practice management tips for lawyers. Michael discussed some of the post-pandemic technological advances that courts have made to ensure they remain open even when the physical doors close, such as widely available teleconferencing for remote and virtual hearings. He also shared three tips to better handle remote hearings -- dress up, check your background, and get a good pair of headphones to ensure you're properly heard.

– Connect on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tslp13
– Listen to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tech-savvy-lawyer/id1523246678
– Visit the website: https://www.thetechsavvylawyer.page/

Erin Levine, Hello Divorce - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 14, 2022 Oct 15, 2022

Show notes

Erin Levine of Hello Divorce shared the painful experiences that led her first to law school and then to developing the innovative DIY divorce solution that lowers the cost of dissolving a marriage. She described the difference between "legal tech" and "justice tech" as making lawyers more efficient and easier to hire by people who can afford them versus putting legal consumers in the driver's seat of their own cases. Erin expressed high hopes for the new Justice Technology Association and its mission to grow the #justicetech sector while working with regulators to spur more innovation.

– Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hellodivorce
– Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellodivorce/
– Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellodivorce/
– Connect on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hellodivorce/
– Visit the website: https://hellodivorce.com/

Ibrahim Aissam, eCourtDate; Jared Jaskot, Jaskot Law - Who Wrote That Up For You? Oct 13, 2022 Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

Ibrahim Aissam described the need for multilingual and accessible court communications and the technology solutions available at eCourtDate to help courts ensure more people receive proper notice of court hearings. He shared some of the adverse consequences of missing a court date, even in certain civil matters, such as landing in jail on contempt charges, or getting arrested and suffering physical harm during routine police traffic stops. Ibrahim said he was driven by the need to provide access to justice for all court users, including those for whom English is a second language.

– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecourtdate
– Visit the website: https://ecourtdate.com/

Jared Jaskot, an immigration lawyer in Baltimore, Maryland, discussed new regulations that allow lawyers to provide limited-scope services in immigration cases. Jaskot Law intends to deliver those services as soon as the regulations take effect because they will enable Jared to serve immigrants who are unable to pay huge retainers and can do some of the work themselves. He is the developer of YoTengo Bot, an AI-driven website chatbot that helps lawyers communicate with potential clients when humans aren't available to serve them. He's working to develop other AI applications to service legal consumers.

– Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/abogadojaskot
– Connect on Twitter: https://twitter.com/abogadojaskot
– Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaskot.abogado/
– Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jaskot-law/about/
– Visit the website: https://jaskot.abogado/

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