2001 Forum

The 2001 Forum for
State Court Judges

The Jury as Fact Finder
and Community Presence
in Civil Justice

July 14, 2001, Montreal, Canada
Hilton Bonaventure Montreal

The Pound Institute hosted the 2001 Forum for State Court Judges in Montreal, Canada in July 2001. The topic of the Forum was The Jury as Fact Finder and Community Presence in Civil Justice. The Forum was a huge success with over 120 Judges from 33 states in attendance. After welcoming remarks by Frederick M. Baron, President of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the program was moderated by Larry S. Stewart, the President of the Roscoe Pound Institute. Attendees were treated to two fascinating papers on the jury system, as well as commentary by distinguished panelists from the bench and bar. After the plenary sessions where the papers were discussed, judges met in small groups to discuss the papers and their experiences with the jury system.

We would like to thank our distinguished paper presenters: Professor Neil Vidmar of Duke University, and Professor Stephan Landsman of DePaul University, who wrote the papers for this year's Judges Forum. Both Professor Vidmar's paper - Juries, Judges and Civil Justice (pdf) and Professor Landsman's paper -Appellate Court and Civil Juries (pdf), provided an exciting discourse among the Judges.

We would also like to express our gratitude to the panelists who participated in the program: Honorable John M. Greaney, Honorable Melvin Rothman, Honorable Joette Katz, Honorable John C. Bouck, Sharon J. Arkin, Esq., Arthur E. Vertlieb, Esq., Wayne D. Parsons, Esq., and Gordon Kugler, Esq. Our luncheon program included a stimulating joint speech on "Where have the juries gone in Canada," by Justice Bouck, of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and Justice Melvin Rothman, from the Court of Appeal of Quebec.

The Pound Institute would like to thank all of the generous donors whose contributions have made the forum possible, especially Habush, Habush & Rottier, S.C., who endowed the Roscoe Pound Institute Annual Forum for State Court Judges.

Finally, Pound Institute would like to thank all of the judges who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the Forum. Without their active participation, the Forum would not be as successful as it has been, and we hope that they continue to attend our future Forums.