This page within Virginia Tort Case Law is a compilation of cases reported by the Virginia Supreme Court and summarized by Brien Roche dealing with the topic of Closing Opening Statement Objections and the related topic of personal injury. For more information on closing argument see the pages on Wikipedia.
Closing Opening Statement Objections-Cases
2014 Harman v. Honeywell International, Inc., 288 Va. 84, 94, 758 S.E.2d 515.
Pretrial Order precluded argument or evidence as to history of Honeywell Autopilots. Defense counsel during closing made men- tion of such. It was a reversible error for the Court to allow such.
1983 Pullen v. Nickens, 226 Va. 342, 310 S.E.2d 452.
During closing argument of this personal injury action plaintiff’s counsel argued that each defendant was liable for whole award and it was for courts and parties to determine apportionment, if any. He asked jury to leave that to operation of court and to contract. Objection was made to this argument at close of argument. Court held that objection had been waived because it had not been made contemporaneously with argument and, in addition, defense counsel had failed to object to admonition given by trial court after argument.
1957 Burks v. Webb, 199 Va. 296, 99 S.E.2d 629.
Closing opening statement objections as to improper argument must be timely made and except under unusual circumstances objections to improper argument made after case is submitted to jury come too late.
1945 Piccolo v. Woodford, 184 Va. 432, 35 S.E.2d 393.
During closing, plaintiff’s counsel read to jury excerpt from Southeast Reporter. This is reversible error. Since no timely exception was made, objection was waived.
1945 Cooke v. Griggs, 183 Va. 851, 33 S.E.2d 764.
Objection to improper argument before jury should be made at time of argument.
