What is Disclosure?
Disclosure is when a party provides documents and other information the opposing party requests to reveal relevant details about the case. This exchange helps prevent surprises during trials, promotes settlement negotiations, and ensures a more efficient and just resolution of disputes.
What is Disclosure?
Legal expert Stephen Mason states, “Disclosure is the foundation of fair proceedings, the rule that ensures justice is done.” Failure to comply with disclosure obligations, such as withholding evidence intended to be presented from the other party to the case, can lead to sanctions or adverse inferences against the non-compliant party, emphasizing its critical importance in maintaining the integrity of legal proceedings.
In practice, disclosure can encompass various materials, including documents, electronic communications, witness statements, expert reports, and other information relevant to the case. In civil litigation, parties are typically required to disclose documents that support or undermine their own case or the other party’s case. In criminal law, disclosure ensures the accused can access all evidence the prosecution holds, enabling them to mount a proper defense. Disclosure ensures fairness and transparency in legal proceedings by providing both parties with evidence to argue their case correctly.
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Personal Injury Glossary Terms
This glossary provides a quick-access resource for looking up definitions of terms you will likely encounter while seeking compensation.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W
A
Accident Report — A detailed official record of an incident created on-site by an authority figure such as a police officer or hospital staff member.
Act of God — An unforeseen event caused by natural forces without human involvement that couldn’t have been prevented with reasonable care, […]
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Munley Law Partner Marion Munley Sworn in as Treasurer for the American Association for Justice
Munley Law is pleased to announce that truck accident lawyer Marion Munley was sworn in as the Treasurer for the American Association for Justice (AAJ).
The American Association of Justice is a 20,000-member organization of plaintiff attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of trial by jury. The mission of the AAJ is to promote justice and fairness for injured victims, safeguard victims’ rights, and strengthen the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public safety and health.
Marion has held several positions in the AAJ over the years. She was elected as the AAJ Parliamentarian in 2022 and has served on the Board of Governors and its Executive Committee. In 2018, she was the first woman to become the Chair of the AAJ Trucking Litigations Group and received the organization’s Robert W. Munley Champion of Justice Award in 2020. […]
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Marion Munley Elected Parliamentarian for the American Association for Justice
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys is pleased to announce that Partner Marion Munley was elected as the Parliamentarian for the American Association for Justice (AAJ) at its annual convention in Seattle, Washington.
The American Association of Justice is a 20,000-member organization of plaintiff attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of trial by jury. The mission of the AAJ is to promote justice and fairness for injured victims, safeguard victims’ rights, and strengthen the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public safety and health.
A champion of victims’ rights and the civil justice system for over 25 years, Marion is known for her compassionate approach to representing the catastrophically injured and her tireless devotion to her clients and their families. Triple Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial, […]
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What is Discovery?
Understanding your lawsuit’s discovery phase
If you recently filed a lawsuit, then you likely have questions about how your case will progress. Clients often ask our attorneys about discovery. In fact, most civil plaintiffs and defendants have never heard of the discovery phase of a trial. They have no idea what discovery is. As such, our award-winning personal injury team is here to explain discovery and what you can expect during this phase of litigation.
According to the American Bar Association, discovery is “the formal process of exchanging information between the parties about the witnesses and evidence they’ll present at trial.” In other words, it is a mechanism for obtaining the info and evidence that you need to win your case.
The phases of a civil trial
In order to fully understand the discovery phase, […]
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Compensation Funds Offer Path to Justice for Abuse Victims
In the wake of the August grand jury report that documented decades of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the state, several dioceses in Pennsylvania have taken steps to establish a victim compensation fund. The report estimated that hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania molested over 1,000 children since the 1940s.
In early November, the Dioceses of Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg, and Allentown announced programs that will compensate survivors who were sexually abused by priests in the Catholic Church. The announcements did not mention a total dollar amount for the funds or their maximum potential individual payouts. Participation in these programs will be voluntary.
Five of the dioceses have hired veteran compensation fund coordinator Ken Feinberg to map out and oversee their programs. The Philadelphia fund has set a filing deadline for claims at the end of next September, […]
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