My Final Semester as a Sun Devil

This semester is off to an awesome start! All of the classes I signed up for this last semester are interesting and rewarding. I'm excited to learn more about the topics of crime prevention, domestic violence, psychology, community relations, and marriage/family relationships. Each class has started to teach me about many important issues in the criminal justice system and in life. These classes are preparing me for my future as an agent in the system. I can't believe this will be my last semester at Arizona State University before I graduate in May. You guessed it! I am most excited to graduate with my Bachelor's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice this Spring! In high school, I remember talking about what I wanted to do with my life and how excited I was to go to ASU! Now, my journey is almost over. I believe that I made the best of my college years! I can truly look back after graduation and say that I enjoyed my classes, I worked hard, and I was involved with the university in many ways. I realize graduation is still a little over three months away but when you have been waiting for that day for almost four years, it only seems as if its three days away! The last three and three-fourths years here at ASU went by extremely fast! I have already begun the process of choosing my career and applying for positions in the legal field. I'm most excited to begin my career and make a difference in our society through the criminal justice system! I can't wait!

I can't say that I am dreading anything about this semester because I'm so close to reaching the goal I have aimed for my entire life! Although it's hard work being a college student, constantly reading, studying, taking tests, and preparing for projects, I have enjoyed it all! It's a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget! I made the best of my four years in college and I hope you all do the same!

Update!!

Hi Everyone!!

I just want to update you all!! I apologize that it has been a while since I blogged, my family and I have experienced tragedies over the past three months. We are all doing better and we are thankful to have the Lord in our lives and of course to have each other.

Over the month of December, my husband and I went back to Minnesota to see family and celebrate Christmas! We had an amazing time! It was a well needed vacation, you probably all know what I mean. We spent time playing in the snow, snowboarding, and tubing while we were there. We enjoyed all of the family Christmas parties and spending time with everyone!! If everything goes as planned, we will be living in Minnesota by the end of this summer!! This is very exciting for us; however, it will be difficult to leave everyone here. I have already started applying to several different jobs in the criminal justice system including police departments, law firms, and sheriff's departments. Although I have not quite decided what I actually would like to do! I know and it's so close to graduation already! I am interested in so many different areas of the system! I have recently decided that I may apply with private investigation firms and possibly get my private investigator's license. In contrast, I may just continue to work in a law firm, preferably criminal because I already have a great deal of experience in a civil law firm, while attending law school. Wow! So many different options with this degree. I'll let you all know when I have made my final decision.

I'd like to give you all an update on how my semester interning at the law firm finished. It was an awesome experience where I learned and will continue to learn many things about our law. I have developed myriad skills while interning here. I successfully completed the internship. Moreover, I will continue to work for this law firm until I graduate. My experience with the firm will be valuable to place on career applications. Furthermore, my supervisor can write me a recommendation letter for any career path that I choose to take.

The last semester begins tomorrow!! I can't believe that it's such a short time until graduation! I have a full schedule consisting of the following five courses:

CRJ 441: Prevention of Criminal and Delinquent Behavior
CRJ 442: Community Relations/Justice System
CRJ 461: Domestic Violence
FAS 331: Marriage/Family Relationships
PGS 101: Introduction to Psychology

I set out my classes so that I would be able to choose any two elective classes that I desired for my final semester. The courses that I chose were FAS 331 and PGS 101. I chose FAS 331 because I heard it was a good class. I also thought that would enjoy and gain a lot from it at the same time. I haven't taken psychology yet; therefore, I signed up for the class because I wanted to take it before I graduate.

I will attend classes Monday nights and all day Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will work Mondays during the day, Wednesdays, Fridays and sometimes on the weekends.

Time management is key to being a successful student while managing a job and being married. From my personal experience, I have found that utilizing time gaps between classes for studying and homework is very valuable. I just find a quiet place to work and I always seem to get a lot accomplished. In addition, I study and complete homework during the weekend and when I have any other spare time during the week. I utilize study groups for every class! I believe forming study groups is vital to doing well in many classes. If I am ever having trouble in any of my classes, I email my professor and meet with them during their office hours to get help which has been beneficial to my grade.

If any of you have any questions or concerns at all about the courses, study habits or school in general feel free to email me at scrable@asu.edu and I will get back to you just as soon as I can.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Stacey

Another look into the life of working in a Plaintiff Attorney's Law Office!

I'm in my second month of my internship in a Plaintiff's Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Law Office.

During this month, I have been working with he attorney in preparing an initial disclosure statement for a wrongful death case in which we have named a second Defendant. We have also prepared a supplemental disclosure statement for both of the Defendants. In addition, both the Plaintiff’s attorney and the Defense attorneys are putting together a stipulation for scheduling. Moreover, the attorney has met with doctors in order to decide whom he will use to testify in this particular case. We have spent time studying and reviewing the medical records continuously for preciseness.

A Plaintiff’s initial disclosure statement includes the witnesses, experts, exhibits, and evidence that the Plaintiff’s attorney is planning to use in the case. The Plaintiff has the burden of proof throughout the majority of the case. In the initial disclosure statement, we included all of the facts of the case, each lay and expert witness, depositions, and the important documents were attached to the initial disclosure statement as exhibits.

This initial disclosure statement with all of the exhibits (evidence) attached was probably over 1,000 pages just to give you a rough idea about how long it takes to actually put it together and make copies for the other attorneys.

After or during the time we spend finishng exchanging the initial disclosure statement with the exhibits, which we are still in the process of doing, supplemental disclosure statements will begin by both the Plaintiffs and Defendants. These supplemental statements include submitting more discovery and disclosure of witnesses and documents to each side. There is continual disclosure of new experts, evidence, discovery, and exhibits; therefore, we continuously prepare supplemental disclosure statements until the last day of discovery and disclosure of the case.

In order to keep a case on a steady track through the court system, the attorneys are suppose to work together on a stipulation of scheduling for which they will decide the deadlines for disclosures, depositions, discovery, and experts. In addition, the attorneys state, in the stipulation, when they expect to be finished with all of these things so that the court can set a trial date for the case. Personally, I find it interesting that the attorneys work on scheduling together professionally; however, sometimes it is with difficulty because of conflicting schedules. This stipulation for scheduling enables the case to move forward with the attorneys in agreement about deadlines if, after submitted, the court agrees with the proposed stipulation.

Throughout a case such as the one we are currently working on, the Plaintiff’s attorney will normally have meetings with the doctors that they want to testify in the case. During these meetings, the attorney speaks privately with the doctor about the case, gives the doctor medical records to review and asks the doctor his expert opinion based on his work with the patient and the medical records.

When preparing for these meetings with doctors, the attorney and I have spent time reviewing and studying the medical records. We know to look for specific phrases and notes such as SOB (shortness of breath) when studying the records. We have spent time researching different medical conditions such as CHF (Cardiac Heart Failure), its definition, symptoms, etc. This process of learning about medical conditions is important so that you are aware of these conditions when meeting with the doctors. Then, the attorney will have some background information about the condition while the doctor gives his expert opinion. As a Plaintiff's attorney in a case like this one, you are continuously researching medical conditions, cases and more.

I am continually learning more about the skills and practices a Plaintiff's attorney uses in order to develop and settle/take a case to trial. The responsibility of the Plaintiff's attorney is immense in that he/she has the burden of proof. However, skilled attorneys have learned to work well with ideas and arguments when building their cases. They develop strategies for their case that they can use at trial if the case goes to trial.

Like I have stated previously, law may be in my future and I don't necessarily mean law enforcement, could mean lawyer, we will just have to wait and find out.

Until next time, have a wonderful day!

Stacey

Race for the Cure is coming up!

Hi Everyone!

The Race for the Cure is a event that is put on by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and all of those that sponsor it in its mission to end breast cancer forever! This organization helps raise funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer!!

On October 11, 2009, the Race for the Cure will be held near Downtown Phoenix! The 2009 Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure is going to be in the State Capitol District of downtown Phoenix. The Race activities include the Survivor and Co-Survivor Area (Pink Hat Cafe, Survivor Goodie Bags), Corporate Village (sponsor booths), and Registration and Packet Pick-Up will take place in Wesley Bolin Plaza. Each of the events on this day will start at 17th Ave. and Adams St. We will circle the Capitol Building and head East to Copper Square before returning to the finish line East of 17th Ave. on Jefferson St.

For more information on this event and others in Phoenix, visit www.komenphoenix.org

I will walk Sunday with my family for the loved family and friends that have had and still have breast cancer!

One of my family members has had several surgeries as a result of being diagnosed with breast cancer years ago; however, by God's grace she has survived it all. She is a strong woman who never gave up and I look up to her for that strength!!

So on October 11, 2009, my family and I will walk for her and everything she has come through with having breast cancer!

Will you join us in supporting the race for the cure against breast cancer and if so who will you walk for this year?

Hope to see you there in support of your loved family and friends who have or have had breast cancer in the past!

Moving this weekend!!

Yay! We are moving this weekend! After getting married in May and house sitting for over three and a half months, we finally get a place of our own!

After only a week and a half of looking, we found our new home! It is an apartment, but it's a big one! It's located near the Carefree Highway with a beautiful desert view right outside our patio! This place will be OUR first official place together that is OURS! We get to decorate it together, design the layout of where everything is going to go and shop for furniture! Can't wait!

We have a long weekend ahead, but the payoff will be well worth it!

Email me at scrable@asu.edu if you are looking at moving anytime soon, this place is awesome!

Have a great night everyone!!

Internship 2009

School has officially started and with that I have started my internship! Yay!

I am enjoying working for the law firm full-time, gaining more experience and knowledge of the law and getting school credit for it! My schedule this semester consists of going to work an average of 27 hours a week, which is equivalent to 9 credit hours. In addition to the internship, I am taking one other night class, Women, Crime and Justice which is being taught by Dr. Shaffer. I'm enjoying the material in the class and the class discussions.

For my internship, I am required to write monthly journals about the learning objectives I am accomplishing and specific experiences I am encountering and my reaction to them.

This months journal reads as follows:

Dear Journal,

During the last month, I have been assisting my supervisor with several projects on one particular case, which will have strong effects on its outcome. These specific projects include drafting several copies of a Disclosure Statement (Statement of Facts), an Affidavit of our construction expert, indexes, list of exhibits and researching aspects of the case such as punitive damages. When working on these projects, I have learned to be careful and concise, trying my best to follow along with my supervisor when accepting dictation, inserting footnotes, labeling exhibits, organizing, and last but not least, the importance of the last inch of work on these projects which will all eventually come together smoothly. In addition to working on these specific documents, I learned more about how our laws started by reading parts of The History of English Law Volume I. I have continued to develop knowledge of the cases and the laws including the skills that are necessary in the processing of a case by a Plaintiff’s personal injury attorney.

This particular Disclosure Statement (Statement of Facts) includes listing the facts of a case in detail and in a specific order that can be easily understood by the readers, in this case, two defense attorneys, and the judge. These facts include, but are not limited to, the causation of the accident, the negligence of the Defendants, foreseeable danger, violations, injuries of the Plaintiff and more. When writing this Disclosure Statement, it was important to begin by listing the facts in paragraphs, dividing them into different parts with headings and subheadings, editing each fact to make it persuasive, and making sure footnotes coincided with the exhibits and the facts in each paragraph. This work was tedious but very interesting. It was necessary in order to tell the story of the case thoroughly. The Disclosure Statement goes along with the Affidavit of our expert in explaining what he will testify to in the case.

The Affidavit of our construction expert consists of his testimony, expertise, and opinions on the accident and circumstances surrounding it. We begin by stating who our expert is, his background, and his opinions based on the Disclosure Statement. The information in the Affidavit reflects the expert’s point of view and his evidence supporting his opinions. The Affidavit and the Disclosure Statement are edited several times for precision. Footnotes are continuously used to support these facts and opinions. These footnotes contain the exhibits, which support the facts. For example, if the Defendant gave testimony, that we, the Plaintiffs, felt was important during a deposition, we insert the exact testimony into our documents and use a footnote to show the exhibit. In this case, the deposition of the Defendant is the exhibit. We include the exact page numbers and lines where that testimony can be found in the deposition, which we attach as an exhibit to the entire document. For example, in an affidavit, we might have thirty or more exhibits attached. The Affidavit of an expert takes time and constant review. When the Affidavit is finished, the expert spends time reading it over so that it reflects their opinions correctly; then he signs it with a notary public and it is filed with the court.

While working on both the Disclosure Statement and an Affidavit, I worked with preparing an index for the Disclosure Statement and a list of exhibits. The index included all of the headings and subheadings in the text including the page number and paragraph number in order for the readers to find information quickly. The list of exhibits simply lists each exhibit that is used. I worked with an index and a list of exhibits the entire time that we prepared the Disclosure Statement and the Affidavit.

In the Disclosure Statement, we also included a section for punitive damages against the Defendant. The construction expert will not testify to punitive damages; however, we are still claiming them. Punitive damages are used to punish a Defendant and to deter him/her, them, or others from committing similar acts in the future. My supervisor and I went to the Downtown Law Library and briefly researched cases that support the use of punitive damages so that we can cite case law that is similar to our case to prove why we are claiming punitive damages. Our goal is to prove that the Defendants knew that they were doing something wrong that could endanger the lives of workers, yet they did nothing to prevent it.

The last inch of work is always the toughest. One of my jobs is to assist my supervisor in re-reading and checking to make sure information is true and correct, that exhibits match facts and footnotes, that exhibits are numbered correctly and that the facts can be easily understood. We spend a lot of time organizing and re-organizing the information. These projects take weeks to complete. Once they are complete, the Plaintiffs’ can prepare an offer of judgment to settle the case for a certain amount. If refused by the defense, the Plaintiffs will wait until they can get a trial date so that they can present their case to a jury, who makes the ultimate decision of what the Plaintiff is awarded if anything by reviewing the evidence, listening to witnesses, etc.

In between working on these projects, I was assigned to read literature on the history of English law. In reading, I have learned a few key things. Our laws have been formed by Teutonic (German) customs with additions and modifications received directly or indirectly from the Roman system. This Romanic law reflects ecclesiastical law, which reveals Christianity and the church because the church was extremely stable during that time. The reading expanded my knowledge of English Law and how the legal system was first initiated.

I have learned and will continue to learn more about the history of our law, different skills necessary to assist with writing important documents such as the ones I have listed and to take necessary time when preparing these documents and organizing each of them so that the facts of a case are revealed in a persuasive manner.

I hope this gives you some personal insight of working with a Plaintiff's attorney and the different tasks one encounters with this job.Each day, I continue to receive more insight about how our legal system is set up and the rules that have been established so that each case has a fair chance.

I think Attorney Lease may be a future title, who knows, it's a possibility. :)

Can Food Drive!! (Help feed the hungry)

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know that my church, Deer Valley Worship Center, is partnering together with the Phoenix Rescue mission to help feed the hungry!

This is a chance to truly make a difference! Josh and I are collecting all non-perishable foods- canned foods, baby food, diapers and more. I believe recent statistics have shown that 1 out of every 5 kids go to bed hungry every night! We are determined as a church and community to change these statistics drastically!

If you are interested in helping with this cause, you can find out more from the Phoenix Rescue Mission or through our church, Deer Valley Worship Center. If you would like to donate any non-perishable foods, please feel free to email me at scrable@asu.edu and we can arrange a time for me to come pick them up. Your support mean so much!

Beginning this week, Josh and I will go to all of our neighbors' homes. We will begin by introducing ourselves as their neighbors. Then, we are going to ask them if they would like to donate any non-perishable foods for the Phoenix Rescue Mission. We will make it clear that we are not selling anything and that we can't accept money, but that their donation of food would be greatly appreciated. We will let them know that we can come pick up the food three days later. When we come to pick up the food from our neighbors, we will ask them if they would be willing to do this again in a couple months. This cause not only helps feed the hungry but it enables us to get to know our neighbors. We can build strong relationships by simply getting to know each other while helping others.

Great things will happen as a result of this meaningful rescue mission!!

Lets make a difference together!