The Public Administrator in a Lawsuit

When an attorney works on a civil lawsuit involving the government, his or her most direct source of information will usually be public administrators. The attorney will speak with public administrators to obtain knowledge, records, and testimony for the lawsuit. Regrettably, this means that a public administrator can damage his or her reputation, credibility, or job security if he or she is not truthful, diligent, and careful with the information being provided. Luckily, a public administrator can learn some things from previously tried cases to shield him or herself from harm.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 3 in the course text, The Study of Law: A Critical Thinking Approach (4th ed.). Reflect on the differences between civil law and criminal law.

• Consider how a public administrator could affect establishing a prima facie case or testifying on defenses or damages in a civil lawsuit.

• Review Chapter 5 in the course text, The Study of Law: A Critical Thinking Approach (4th ed.). Reflect on the American litigation process and alternative dispute resolution methods. Then, explore the phases of a lawsuit and the documents prepared for each phase. Think of how a public administrator might participate in each phase.

• Read the article “‘But He Told Me It Was Safe! The Expanding Tort of Negligent Misrepresentation.” Consider how misrepresentations by a public administrator could have serious legal ramifications.

• Consider the role of a public administrator in a work-related civil lawsuit and what information he or she could provide an attorney in that lawsuit. Then, reflect on how a public administrator could protect himself or herself in that lawsuit.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a 300 word response by Thursday January 12, 2017 regarding your thoughts about the role of a public administrator in a work-related civil lawsuit. Then, explain what information he or she could provide an attorney. Finally, explain how the public administrator could protect himself or herself in a work-related civil lawsuit.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.