DRI Seminar: Handling Emotionally Charged Police Cases On-Site and in the Courts
CHICAGO – (November 21, 2017)—Approaching one of the most vexing issues of our time, DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar is holding a seminar titled “Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability.” The seminar will be held on January 25-26 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.
The various sessions will provide tips on litigating emotionally charged police cases and examining issues of race and diversity from both the defense and plaintiff sides. There will be a panel discussion on race and police, and what can be done to improve relations during tense lawsuits.
Another session will discuss the intersection of the freedom of speech and the right to be protected against unreasonable searches and seizures at the site of confrontation. Issues discussed will include refusal to answer questions, dealing with bystanders, dealing with profanity toward officers, filming of police activity, and the seizure of cameras or cell phones that have recorded police activity.
There will also be a discussion of the latest tools and technologies that are, or soon will be, available to police agencies and the need to formulate the correct policies to support their appropriate use.
There are also interesting breakout sessions. In the “Law Enforcement” breakout, attendees will learn how to protect prisoners from each other and thus avoid “failure to protect” claims from inmates.
In the “Education” breakout titled “Armbands and Unrest”, attendees will learn about the past and future meaning of free speech for students. A panel participant will be Mary Beth Tinker of Tinker v. Des Moines fame. In 1965, at the age of 13, Tinker was suspended by the Des Moines School District for wearing a black armband to protest the Vietnam War. In a landmark ruling four years later, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the school policy unconstitutional and in violation of students’1st Amendment rights.
The seminar brochure and registration materials can be obtained here. Those who register on or before December 26th will receive a $100 discount.
About DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar
For more than fifty-five years, DRI has been the voice of the defense bar, advocating for 22,000 defense attorneys, commercial trial attorneys, and corporate counsel and working to defend the integrity of the civil judiciary. A thought leader, DRI provides world-class legal education, deep expertise for policy-makers, legal resources, and networking opportunities to facilitate career and law firm growth. For more information, log on to www.dri.org.