Brief Singleton v Wulff PDF

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Va n e s s aCa a ma n o POS3 6 03 Fe b r u a r y5 ,2 0 1 8 Br i e f : SI NGLETONv . WULFF Summar yo fEs s e nt i a lFa c t s n g l e t o n( p l a i nt i ff)wa saMi s s o u r i l i c e n s e dp h y s i c i a nwh o , a l o n gwi t ha n o t h e r  Si Mi s s o u r ip h y s i c i a n , c h a l l e n g e dt hec o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t yo faMi s s o u r is t a t ut et h a t p r o h i b i t e dMe d i c a i df u n d i n gofa b or t i o n st h a twe r en o t“ me d i c a l l yi nd i c a t e d . ”  Si n g l e t o nb r o u gh ts u i ta g a i n s tWu l ff( d e f e n d a n t ) , t heMi s s o ur is t a t eo ffic i a l r e s p o n s i b l ef o rde t e r mi n i n gt h ea p p r o p r i a t e n e s so fMe d i c a i db e n e fit s ,onb e h a l fo f i mp o v e r i s h e df e ma l ec l i e n t st ha td e p e nd e do nMe d i c a i db e n e fit st of u ndt h e i r a bo r t i o n s .  Th ed i s t r i c tc o u r td i s mi s s e dSi n g l e t o n ’ sc a s ef o rl a c ko fs t a n d i n gt obr i n gt h i s c l a i m.  Th ec ou r to fa p p e a l sr e v e r s e d ,find i n gt h a tSi n g l e t o nh a ds t a nd i n ga n da l s or u l e d f o rSi n g l e t o no nt h eme r i t s .  Th eUn i t e dSt a t e sSup r e meCou r tg r a n t e dc e r t i o r a r it od e t e r mi n et hes t a n d i n g i s s u e . Summa r i z et hePr o c e dur a lHi s t o r y t e dSt a t e sCo u r tofAp p e a l sf o rt heEi g ht hCi r c ui t  Uni I d e nt i f yt hel e g ali s s uei nt hef o r mofaq ue s t i on h ep l a i n t i ffr e s p o n d e n t sa l l e g e“ i nu r r yi nf a c t ”t h a ti s ,as u ffic i e n t l yc o n c r e t e  Dot i n t e r e s ti nt h eo u t c o meo ft h e i rs u i tt oma k ei tac a s eo rc o n t r o v e r s ys u b j e c tt oa f e d e r a lc o u r t ’ sAr t . I I Ij u r i s d i c t i on ? r u d e n t i a lma t t e r ,t hep l a i n t i ffr e s p on d e nt sa r epr o pe rp r o po n e n t so ft h e  Asap p a r t i c u l a rl e g a lr i gh t so nwh i c ht h e yb a s et h e i rs u i t ? St at et her ul e ,t hehol d i ng, a ndt hev ot e s .Th ep h y s i c i a n sh a v es t a n d i n gt oc h a l l e n g et h eMi s s o u r is t a t u t eo nb e h a l fo f  Ye t h e i rMe d i c a i d q u a l i f y i n gc l i e n t sb e c a u s eo ft h es u ffic i e n tpr e s e n c eo ft wof a c t or s .  5 4d e c i s i o n ;Ma j o r i t yop i n i o nb yHa r r yA. Bl a c kmu n Ex p l a i nt heCo ur t ’ sr e a s o ni ng  Fi r s t l y , t h er i g h to ft he s ec l i e n t st or e c e i v ea b o r t i o n si si n e x t r i c a b l yb o un du pwi t h t h ep h y s i c i a ns ’s u i tt or e q ui r eMe di c a i dt op a yf o rt h e s ea b o r t i o ns . Wo me nc a nn o t s a f e l ys e c u r ea b or t i o n swi t h ou tt h ea i do fap h y s i c i a n ,a n di mp o v e r i s he dwo me n c a nn o tr e c e i v et h ea i do fp h y s i c i a n su n l e s sMe di c a i df u n d st h ep h y s i c i a n s ’ s e r v i c e s .Th u s ,t h eph y s i c i a nsh a v eas u ffic i e n t l yc l os er e l a t i o n s h i pwi t ht h e i r f e ma l ec l i e nt st os a t i s f yt h efir s tp r o n go fe s t a b l i s h i n gs t a n di n gi nc o u r t . Se c o n dl y , p r a c t i c a lc o n c e r n sme a ni ti su n l i k e l yt h a tt h ep h y s i c i a n s ’f e ma l ec l i e n t swou l d

b r i n gs u c hal a ws u i tont h e i ro wnb e ha l f . Ma n ywo me nwi s ht op r ot e c tt h e i r p r i v a c yb yn ote n ga g i n gi nal a ws u i tt oa s s e r tt h e i rr i gh tt oa na b o r t i on .Al s o ,t h e n a t u r eo fap r e g n a n c yl a s t i n gf oro n l yn i nemo n t h sma k e si tn e a r l yi mp o s s i b l ef o r wo me nt oa p pl yf o rMe d i c a i db e n e fit s ,h a v et hea p p l i c a t i ond e n i e d ,a n dt h e n s uc c e s s f ul l ybr i n gal a ws u i tc h a l l e n gi n gt h ed e n i e da p p l i c a t i o nb e f o r et h et i mef o r l e g a l l ys e c u r i n ga na b o r t i o nh a sp a s s e d. Th u s ,i tma k e ss e n s et oa l l o wp h y s i c i a n s t or e p r e s e n tt h e i rc l i e n t si na s s e r t i n gt h i sr i g h ts ot h a tt h ec a s eo rc o n t r o v e r s yd o e s n o tb e c o memo o tb e f or ei tc a nb ed e c i de d. Th u st h es e c o n dp r o n gr e q u i r e df o r e s t a b l i s h i n gs t a n d i n gi nc o u r ti ss a t i s fie d . Fi n a l l y , t hec o u r to fa p p e a l s ’ d e t e r mi n a t i o no ft h ec a s eo nt h eme r i t si sr e v e r s e d ;a so n l yt hes t a n d i n gi s s u ewa s b e f o r et h ec o u r to fa p p e a l sa tt h et i mei tr e n d e r e di t so p i ni o n . Br i e flys umma r i z et hed i s s e nt i ngo p i ni ons ep h y s i c i a n sh a ds t a n d i n g ,b u tn o tb e c a u s eoft h er e a s o n sa r t i c u l a t e db yt h e  Th p l u r a l i t y . I n s t e a d ,s t a n d i n gi sa p p r o p r i a t eb e c a u s et h ep h y s i c i a n sha dafina n c i a l s t a k ei nt heou t c o meo ft h el i t i g a t i o n , a n dt h e yc l a i me dt h eMi s s o u r is t a t u t e i mp a c t e dt h e i ro wnc o n s t i t u t i o n a lr i g h t s . Bo t hf a c t o r sa r ee n ou g ht oc o n f e r s t a n d i n go nt h ep h y s i c i a ns .  Th ep h y s i c i a n sh a v es t a n d i n gt oc ha l l e n g et h eMi s s ou r ia b or t i o ns t a t u t eb e c a u s ei t i n h i b i t st h e i ro wnc o n s t i t u t i o n a lr i g h t s .Ad d i t i o n a l l y ,t hec o u r to fa p p e a l ss h ou l d n o th a v ec on s i de r e dt h ep h y s i c i a ns ’c a s eo nt h eme r i t swh e non l yt h es t a n d i n g i s s u ewa sb e f o r ei t . Hi s t o r i c a l l y ,s t a n d i n gha sb e e nc o n f e r r e do np h y s i c i a n st os u e o nbe h a l fo ft he i rpa t i e n t swh e nt h eg o v e r n me n tha se x pr e s s l yi n t e r f e r e dwi t ht h e p h y s i c i a n p a t i e ntr e l a t i on s h i p .Ho we v e r ,i nt h i sc a s e ,Mi s s o u r i ’ ss t a t u t er e g u l a t i n g t h ef u n d i n go fa b o r t i on sb yMe d i c a i dd o e sn ota c t u a l l yi n t e r f e r ewi t ht h e r e l a t i o n s hi pbe t we e nt h ep h y s i c i a nsa n dt h e i rp a t i e n t s . Th ep h y s i c i a n sdon o t a c t u a l l yh a v ear i g h tt h a ti si mp a c t e db yt h es t a t u t et ha tj u s t i fie sg i v i n gt h e m s t a n d i n gt oc ha l l e n g et h es t a t u t ei nc o ur t .Th es t a t u t eme r e l ya ffe c t st hep a t i e n t s ’ r i g h tt or e c e i v es t a t ef u n di n gf o rt hep r oc e d u r e s .

Br i e f : UNI TEDSTATESv .RI CHARDSON Summa r yo fEs s e nt i a lFa c t s y l l i sRi c h a r d s o n( de f e n da n t )wa sc h a r g e dwi t he mbe z z l e me n t ,mo ne y  Ph l a u n de r i n g ,a n dma i lf r a u d .  Th r o u g h ou tt h et r i a l ,a f t e rt h ep a r t i e swe r ed o n eq u e s t i o ni n gwi t n e s s e s ,j u r o r s wr o t ed o wnq ue s t i o n sf o rt h et r i a lj ud g et oa s kt hewi t n e s s e s .  Th et r i a lj ud g ea l l o we dt h ep a r t i e st oob j e c tt oj ur o rq u e s t i o n sp r i v a t e l ya n dd i dn o t r e a de a c ho ft hej u r o rq ue s t i o n ss u b mi t t e d . I na d d i t i on ,t h et r i a lj ud g ei ns t r u c t e d t h ej ur yt h a tt h eq u e s t i o n swe r ef o rc l a r i fic a t i o npu r p o s e so n l ya n dt h a tt h e y s ho u l dno tr e a c hc o n c l u s i o n sb e f o r et h e yh e a r da l lo ft h ee vi d e n c e .  Ab ou th a l f wa yt h r o u g ht h et r i a lRi c h a r ds o no b j e c t e dt oa n yf u r t h e rj u r o rq ue s t i o n s b e c a u s es h et h o u g h tt h e ywe r eb e c o mi n ga d v e r s a r i a l .Th et r i a lc o u r to v e r r u l e dh e r o b j e c t i on . Th ej ur yc o n v i c t e dRi c h a r d s o n . Sh ea p p e a l e d . Summa r i z et hePr o c e dur a lHi s t o r y  Un i t e dSt a t e sCo ur to fAp p e a l sf o rt h eThi r dCi r c u i t I d e nt i f yt hel e g ali s s uei nt hef o r mofaq ue s t i on  Do e saf e d e r a lt a xp a y e rh a v es t a n d i n gt of o r c et heg o v e r n me n tt od i s c l o s e e x pe n d i t u r e so ft h eCI A? St at et her ul e ,t hehol d i ng, a ndt hev ot e  Th eCo u r th e l dt h a tRi c h a r d s o nd i dn o th a v es t a n d i n gt os u e . Us i ngt h et wo p r o n g e ds t a n d i n gt e s to fFl a s tv . Coh e n( 1 9 6 8 ) , Ch i e fJ us t i c eBu r g e rf o u n dt h a t t h e r ewa sn o" l o g i c a ln e x u sb e t we e nt h es t a t u sa s s e r t e d[ b yRi c h a r ds o na sa t a xp a y e r ]a n dt hec l a i ms o u g h tt ob ea d j u d i c a t e d . "  I twa sc l e a rt oBu r g e rt h a tRi c ha r d s onwa sn o t" ap r op e ra n da p pr o pr i a t ep a r t yt o i n v o k ef e d e r a lj u d i c i a lp o we r "o nt hi si s s u e .  5 4d e c i s i o nf o rt h eUn i t e dSt a t e s ;ma j or i t yo p i n i onb yWa r r e nE. Bu r g e r Ex p l a i nt heCo ur t ’ sr e a s o ni ng i a lj u d g e sh a v ed i s c r e t i o nt oa l l o wj u r o rq u e s t i on i n gofwi t n e s s e s .Wh e nd o i n g  Tr s o, h o we v e r ,t h et r i a lj u d g emu s tt a k ep r e c a u t i o n st oe ns u r et h a tt h ej u r o r sr e ma i n n e u t r a lf a c tfin d e r s . Qu e s t i on st e s t i n gl e g a lt he o r i e so rfil l i n gi nh ol e si nap a r t y ’ s c a s emu s tb ed i s a l l o we d .Ov e r a l l ,i nma ki n gad e t e r mi n a t i o no fwhe t h e rt oa l l o w j u r o rq u e s t i on s ,t h et r i a lc o ur tmu s t“ we i g ht h ep ot e n t i a lb e ne fitt ot hej u r o r s a g a i n s tt h epo t e n t i a lha r mt ot h ep a r t i e s , e s p e c i a l l ywh e non eo ft h o s ep a r t i e si sa c r i mi n a ld e f e n d a n t . ”I nt h i sc a s e , t h ec o u r td e t e r mi n e st h a tt het r i a lj u d g ed i dn o t c ommi te r r o rb ya l l o wi n gj u r o rqu e s t i o n s .Th et r i a lj u d g et o o ka l lo ft h ep r o p e r p r e c a u t i o nswi t hr e g a r d st ot h ej u r o rq u e s t i o n s . Hep r o p e r l yi n s t r u c t e dt hej u r yon t h eq u e s t i o n s ’l i mi t e dr o l e ;h ea l l o we dp a r t i e st oo b j e c to u to ft hep r e s e nc eo ft h e j u r y ;a n dh eo mi t t e dp r e j u d i c i a lq ue s t i o nsa ndi n s t r u c t e dt hej u r yt ha tt h e ys h o u l d

n o tr e a da n y t h i n gi n t oc e r t a i nq ue s t i o n sn o tb e i n ga s k e d . Mo r e o v e r ,t h i swa sa n e x t r e me l yc o mp l i c a t e dc a s ea ndj ur o rq u e s t i o n swe r eo f t e nn e c e s s a r yt oc l a r i f yt h e r e c o r d . Fi n a l l y ,Ri c h a r d s o nwa su n a bl et op r od u c ea n ys pe c i fice v i d e n c eo f p r e j u d i c ea sar e s u l to ft hej ur o rqu e s t i on s .Con s e q u e n t l y , t h et r i a lc o mmi t t e dn o e r r o ri ni t sh a n d l i n go fj u r o rq ue s t i on s .Th et r i a lc o u r ti sa ffir me d . Br i e flys umma r i z et hed i s s e nt i ngo p i ni ons  J u r o rq ue s t i o n sh a v et h ep ot e n t i a lt ot u r nj ur o r si n t o“ p a r t i a la dv o c a t e s . ”Suc h q ue s t i o n ss h o ul don l yb ep e r mi t t e di nt her a r e s to fc a s e swh e nt hec ompl e x i t yo f t h ec a s ei ss og r e a tt h a tt h eq u e s t i o n sa r ea b s ol u t e l yn e c e s s a r yt oc l a r i f yt h er e c o r d . Thi sc a s ewa ss u ffic i e nt l yc o mp l e xt h a tn or e v e r s i b l ee r r o ro c c u r r e di na l l o wi n g j u r o rq u e s t i on s ....