I strongly oppose HB1443 unless it is changed to only apply to criminal cases, where there is a constitutional right to counsel and it doesn't clearly bias the system against defendants as it does in civil cases.
Pro se defendants in civil cases face enough barriers already without being literally told here that they are not allowed to do something that attorneys apparently can, as there are no clear professional canons restricting post-trial contact by attorneys with jurors or other parties. It is unclear to me what inspired the demand for this bill, but it clearly hasn't been thought through enough considering how lopsided its effect is. For some kinds of civil cases, in many parts of the state, it is nearly impossible to find a lawyer at all.
The General Assembly should not be sending the signal that they are taking sides with wealthy litigants. PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB1443!
I strongly oppose HB1443 unless it is changed to only apply to criminal cases, where there is a constitutional right to counsel and it doesn't clearly bias the system against defendants as it does in civil cases. Pro se defendants in civil cases face enough barriers already without being literally told here that they are not allowed to do something that attorneys apparently can, as there are no clear professional canons restricting post-trial contact by attorneys with jurors or other parties. It is unclear to me what inspired the demand for this bill, but it clearly hasn't been thought through enough considering how lopsided its effect is. For some kinds of civil cases, in many parts of the state, it is nearly impossible to find a lawyer at all. The General Assembly should not be sending the signal that they are taking sides with wealthy litigants. PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB1443!