BOOK REVIEW: A CIVIL ACTION BY JONATHAN HARR

Sarah Grace P. Cruz

JD202
Chapter 5: Orphans and Dogs

1 ~ Jan Schlichtmann decided to put up his own law firm: Schlichtmann, Conway and Crowley. After winning one particular
case, they used every penny to purchase their furniture, office supplies and even high technology devices for their law office.
They made sure to have a respectable office.

In accepting cases, Schlichtmann had been too specific on the cases to be qualified on their table. Orphans were cases that
looked as if they might have some merit but that for one reason or another had circulated among several law firms, rejected
by one and passes on the another. Most of these were medical malpractice cases. While Dogs, cases which involving suit
for bodily damages that the victim sustained as a result of his own action.

Woburn become one of the orphan cases because while it is pending in its next trial, Schlichtmann handled another personal
injury case which involves a medical malpractice. He spent too much money and time for this case as he looks forward to
getting a million dollar once he wins. However, during the trial, he thought of this case as a losing one when the judge
advised him to get a settlement with the opposing party. But he chose to risk it. And he was awarded $4.7M. He reflected
that he is prepared for the Woburn case.

2 ~ Marvin Zelen, a professor from Harvard University, along with his team, conducted a study whether the Wells G and H
have anything to do with the childhood leukemia cases in Woburn. After a series of study, which include the telephone
interview in the neighborhood, they Zelen was able to get a positive result which links the contamination of Wells G ans H
not only to leukemia, but also to other diseases such as eczema, allergy and a lot.

3 ~ Cheeseman was not impressed with the study Schlichtmann is proud of. He tapped two doctors who apparently not
convinced with the study as well. The study was still not enough to prove the cause of leukemia- Wells G and H. This is not
a surprise with Schlichtmann. Thus, he had another group from Harvard Health Study which conducted a blood test with the
affected family of Woburn. It was an expensive test but Schlichtmann doesn’t mind. Eventually the initial tests looked good
on the part of Schlichtmann.

4 ~ Schlichtmann was preparing for the trial. This time, it involves the Lawyers for Public Justice.

5 ~ Cheeseman thought of dragging another company, Unifirst, the case as a co-defendant. With this tactic, it would make
Schlichtmann’s law firm deal with another giant company and spend more. Cheeseman thought of it as a strategic plan but
not for Schlichtmann, Facher and their co-councils. Thus it turned out to be dismissed. On the other hand, Unifirst had a
settlement with Schlichtmann and awarded the families of $1,500,000.00.