Specialized Article IV Rules Flashcards
Article IV: Specialized Relevance Rules
Rule 407: Subsequent Remedial Measures;
Rule 408: Compromise Offers and Negotiations;
Rule 409: Offers to Pay Medical and Similar Expenses;
Rule 410: Pleas, Plea Discussions; and Related Statements;
Rule 411: Liability Insurance
Rule 407: Purposes
+ Encourages defendants to take remedial measures without worrying about the effects on pending litigation.
+ Protects defendants from unfair prejudice (b/c jury may give too much weight to evidence of subsequent remedial measure in assessing fault).
A “measure” (for 407 purposes) is…
anything that 1. would have made an earlier injury or harm less likely to occur, and 2. is subsequent to an earlier injury or harm.
E.g.’s:
“Measures” are only excluded under 407 if…
… offered to prove liability, e.g.
- Negligence;
- Culpable conduct;
- A defect in a product or its design; or
- A need for a warning or instruction.
Examples of 407 Measures
- Firing an employee
- Recalling a product
- Changing a policy
- Providing updated warning label
- Re-training employees
- Issuing a recall
Rule 407 bars evidence of remedial measures that occurred after…
… the injury occurred.
Evidence is excluded under 407 when…
… offered by and against a party to prove:
- negligence
- culpable conduct
- a defect in a product or its design, or
- a need for a warning or instruction.
Not excluded when…
The measure was not taken by a party OR is offered to prove some other, relevant, controverted purpose, e.g.
- Impeachment
- Proving Ownership
- Proving Control
- Proving Feasibility
- These things must be in dispute (controverted), though.
Rule 407: Subsequent Remedial Measures - Exceptions
- Other purposes than the culpability purposes listed in the rule;
- Third-Party Repairs (when the Defendant doesn’t make the repairs).
Rule 408 - Purposes
To further the social policy favoring settlements, i.e. to ensure that parties are not inhibited from making offers or statements during the settlement negotiation process.
Protects parties from unfair prejudice (b/c jury may give too much weight to attempts at settlement or to statements made during the process (which may or may not be true).
What does Rule 408 cover?
Offers and acceptances made by parties;
AND
All conduct or statements made during compromise negotiations.
Evidence is excluded under Rule 408 when:
Offered for one of three purposes:
- to prove the validity or amount of a disputed claim;
- to disprove that validity or amount;
- To impeach a witness’s testimony through a prior inconsistent statement or contradiction.
Evidence is NOT excluded under Rule 408 when:
- The dispute has not matured into a “claim.”
- The parties do not dispute some aspect of the claim.
- The statements or conduct do not occur during compromise negotiations or while compromising/attempting to compromise the claim.
- The evidence is offered for any other purpose, e.g. proving bias/prejudice, negating contention of undue delay, proving obstruction of criminal investigation.
When does a “claim” for purposes of 408 exist?
- Complaint has been filed
OR - Party has hired an atty and threatened to sue.
Factors which indicate a “compromise negotiation”
Factors:
- Was the statement unilateral?
- Was the statement made during formal negotiations?
- Was a concrete offer made?
- Were attorneys involved?