COM 557 Reading Guide Questions for February 19 - Irwin Mallin, IPFW Communication

Go to Reading Guides | Go to Syllabus | Go to Course Schedule
Go to Assignments | Go to Irwin's Main Page | E-Mail Irwin

COM 557, Spring 2008 – Reading Guide Questions for February 19

For Scheutz Ch. 4.

Read pp. 79-86 to put the tobacco litigation in context

GAMES

1. What is offensive empowerment? How was it enacted in the tobacco litigation? What equivalent to this have you seen enacted (or enacted yourself) in your everyday life?

2. What is refocusing the complaint? How was it enacted in the tobacco litigation? What was it supposed to accomplish?

3. What is divide and conquer? How was it enacted in the tobacco litigation? What equivalent to this have you seen enacted (or enacted yourself) in your everyday life?

THE MINNESOTA LITIGATION

4. What did the judge do that Schuetz calls “chance factors?” Was he morally justified in doing these things? Legally justified?

5. Once again, what is the purpose of discovery?

6. For each discovery method listed below: a) What is it, generally? b) What did the parties attempt with this discovery method in the Minnesota litigation, and to what effect?

- interrogatories
- document requests
- admission requests
- pretrial motions re evidence
- depositions

7. Once again, what is a “theory of the case?” What was the theory the attorneys general used? What was the theory the tobacco industry used?

8. What evidentiary tactics did the attorneys general use? Why? What evidentiary tactics dod the tobacco industry use? Why?

9. What are the policy reasons for the protocol for introducing evidence set forth on p. 101?

10. What’s the point of the testimony set forth on pp. 102-104? Imagine you’re a juror in this trial. How would you react to this testimony? Why?

Go to Reading Guides | Go to Syllabus | Go to Course Schedule
Go to Assignments | Go to Irwin's Main Page | E-Mail Irwin