Jury Openings: Understanding the Rules

• Author: Joseph Y. Obagi
• Pages: 225-248



JuryOpenings

UnderstandingtheRules

Joseph Y. Obagi*

A. INTRODUCTION

Ithasbeenstatedthatajurytrialisaghtandnotanaernoontea

Thesewordshowevermustbetemperedbytheunderlyingcurrentof

our jurisprudence that the ght must nonetheless be subject to t he

rulesoffairplay

Thisraisesthequestionofwhatisconsideredfairinajuryaddress

Unfortunatelytherearenocodiedrulestohelptrialcounselanswer

andresolvethisquestionTherearehoweverdirectivesarisingfromthe

jurisprudencenotnecessarilyconsistentwithoneanotherwhichnone-

thelessassisttrialcounselindeterminingwhatconstitutesfairplayIn

myopinionmanyofthesedirectivesderivefromcommonsensewhile

othersareaproductofthetrialjudgesownsubjectiveviewofwhatmay

beprejudicialinanygivencircumstanceTheformerareeasilyidenti-

ableThelaerbeingmorediculttodiscerncanbesignicantlyprob-

lematicforanytrialcounselandhavethepotentialtocausesubstantial

uneasegivensomeoftheconsequencesthatmightowfromajuryad-

dressfoundtobeinammatory

 JosephObagiisapartneratCooliganRyanLLPOawaHeiscertiedbytheLaw

SocietyofUpperCanadaasaCivilLitigationSpecialist

 Dale v. Toronto R.W. CoOJNoatparaCADale

 Abdallah v. SnopekCarswellOntatparaDivCtSnopek

JYO

InthispaperIhopetoassistthereaderinpreparinganeectiveand

passionateopeningaddresswhileavoidingsomeofthepitfallswhich

haveresultedinmistrialsacrosstheprovince

B THEPURPOSEANDINT ENTOFAN

OPENING ADDRESS

Whenoneconsiderswhatconstitutesfairplayinanopeningaddress

onemustrstplaceoneselfintheroleoftheadvocateandunderstand

thepurposeandintentoftheopeningaddress

Theopeningaddressistherstopportunityfortheadvocatetointro-

ducehimselfthepartiesandtheissuestothejuryInherpaperTelling

theStoryinOpeningStatementBarbaraLegatemakesthestrongpoint

thatanaveragejurormayrequirethreedaystoseleinandbecomecom-

fortablewiththejudicialprocessinwhichtheyplayacriticalroleThis

could be problematicfor both plai nti and defence counsel but espe-

ciallyforplaintiscounselwhoisexpectedtomartialhercaserstThe

openingstatementshouldthereforeservethedualpurposeofintrodu-

cingthejurytothetrialprocessandtotheparticularfactsandissuesin

thecaseathandinaneectiveandmemorablemanner

Theopeningaddressistrialcounselsrstopportunitytogaincred-

ibilitywiththejuryandintroducethethemeofthecaseThethemeis

criticalasitprovidesaconsistentthreadforthejurorstofollowandrely

uponinperceivingandassessingtheevidenceintroducedthroughout

the trial Jurors need a good story to grab thei r aentiona nda good

storyalwayshasastrongtheme

The theme is what the advocate wants every juror to remember

throughoutthecourseofthetrialAgoodthemenotonlystandsoutin

thejurorsmindbutitalsobecomesthespectrumfromwhenceallofthe

evidenceisviewedandanalyzedAsRogerOatleywritesinhistexton

juryaddressesJurorsremembergoodthemesIfyoudonthaveagood

themeajurorwillmakeoneupforyouanditmightbetheendofan

otherwisedeservingcase



Agoodthemeofcoursewillbeeectiveinthelongrunonlyifyou

areabletomarshalevidenceinsupportofthatthemeForthisreasonit

isimportantthatyouneveroverstateyourcasetothejuryinanopening

 BarbaraLegateTellingtheStoryinOpeningStatementPaperpresentedtothe

OTLAMedicalMalpracticeSpringConferenceAprilunpublished

 RogerGOatleyAddressing the JurydedAuroraONCanadaLawBookat

Oatley