I haven't followed this particular case extremely closely but have from time to time read up on it. I'm wondering if there are any Florida lawyers that could answer some questions about the civil suit. I know in Missouri, the Petition that was filed would either be dismissed or the Plaintiff would be required to set out the allegations with a bit more detail. If you put yourself in the shoes of someone completely unfamiliar with this case and only read the lawsuit, you wouldn't know if it was a car accident, medical malpractice or any other thing imaginable. Will this hold up in Florida?
Also, I know in Missouri, even in a civil suit, a witness can assert their 5th amendment rights at any time. Is this handled differently in Florida? I saw discussion of it earlier and was curious if the law was different. Here, you can assert it, but opposing counsel may be able to discuss that assertion at trial, unlike in a criminal case, but you still can assert it.
TIA
I'm not a lawyer, but probably you were referring
also to my post on the 5th Amendment I wrote several posts above this one.
In there I asserted that in Civil cases: "... defendants don't have a
general right against self incrimination ..."
Now, The 5th Amendment can be asserted in any proceeding ...
Kastigar v. United States, 406 U.S. 441, 445 (1972),
however,
civil cases are not the same as
criminal cases, and the 5th Amendment may be applied differently between the two.
Specifically, in a
criminal case a defendant right to remain silent is broad and general and can be easily ascertained, (ie: one is a defendant in a criminal trial) in a civil trial not necessarily so since there is
no prosecutor present or actively involved ...
Marchetti v. United States , 390 U.S. 39, 453, 88 S. Ct.. 697, 705, 19 L. Ed. 2d 889 (1968)
The 5th Amendment applies in instances where the witness has
reasonable cause to fear a criminal liability ...
so ... whether the witness has a
realistic basis for such a fear is the big question ...
Hoffman v. United States, 341 U.S. 479, 486, (1951), quoted in U.S. v. Argomaniz, 925 F. 2d 1349 (11th Cir. 1991)
Lastly, constitutional law applies to all states in the Union, it's the
supreme law of the land and preempts any state law in conflict with it.
Of course as with everything legal, one can go much deeper then that ... I personally don't have the inclination in this istance :aktion1:, surely a real lawyer can explain it better and correct me if I was wrong.
On the issue of
luck of details in the
initial filing of the lawsuit which you have also brought up, I think that is the preliminary stage pending an actual court hearing where the plaintiff will submit the evidence to the presiding judge who in turn, having reviewed all evidence and briefs and heard all arguments and motions by the opposing counselors will then make a ruling to either dismiss the lawsuit or allow it to proceed to trial as a whole or in part.
Again, an actual lawyer here may explain it better and correct me if I'm wrong.