{"id":3743,"date":"2024-01-16T19:50:29","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T19:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/law.temple.edu\/aer\/?p=3743"},"modified":"2023-12-11T19:52:24","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T19:52:24","slug":"3743","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/law.temple.edu\/aer\/2024\/01\/16\/3743\/","title":{"rendered":"WARNING: YOUR OPENING STATEMENT OR CLOSING ARGUMENT MAY BE USED AGAINST YOU"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all know the admonition from Miranda v. Arizona<\/em> \u2013 anything you say may be used against you<\/em>.\u00a0 The question lawyers need to ponder \u2013 and adversaries need to pounce upon \u2013 is whether that same admonition applies to what lawyers say in their openings and closings, with the added concern that the warning will be anything you say SHALL be used against you, and you can\u2019t dispute it.<\/em><\/p>\n

The principle at issue is what is called a binding judicial admission, and its roots can be traced back to at least 1880, when the U.S. Supreme Court stated that \u201c[i]n the trial of a cause the admissions of counsel, as to matters to be proved, are constantly received and acted upon. They may dispense with proof of facts for which witnesses would otherwise be called.\u201d\u00a0 Oscanyan v. Winchester Repeating Arms Company<\/em>, 103 U.S. 261 at p. 263, 26 L.Ed. 539 (1880).<\/p>\n

The rule has been developed to [hopefully] not embrace casual or conditional phrases.\u00a0 The language used must be tantamount to a\u00a0 voluntary and deliberate waiver of the right to contest a fact or issue.\u00a0 United States v. Belculfine<\/em>, 527 F.2d 941, 944 (1st Cir. 1975) (citations omitted).\u00a0 Said another way, \u201cIn order to qualify as judicial admissions, an attorney’s statements must be deliberate, clear and unambiguous.\u201d\u00a0 MacDonald v. GMC<\/em>, 110 F.3d 337, 340 (6th<\/sup> Cir. 1997).<\/p>\n

It is rare, but the principle has been applied to treat an opening statement as a binding admission.\u00a0 \u201cLetraset’s binding judicial admissions, and evidentiary admissions [included]\u2026[t]he opening statement by Letraset’s counsel at trial [that] clearly indicated that Letraset was not challenging Pantone’s right to license its mark on \u2018new\u2019 commercial artist supplies once the right of first refusal had been accorded.\u201d Pantone, Inc. v. Esselte Letraset, Ltd<\/em>., 878 F.2d 601, 607 (2nd<\/sup> Cir. 1989).<\/p>\n

The same has been applied to closing arguments.\u00a0 VHT, Inc. v. Zillow Group, Inc.<\/em>, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 95010, *29-31 (Wash. W. Dist. 2017).\u00a0 One illustration suffices.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur review of Bentson’s closing statement convinces us that the language quoted above was a straightforward judicial admission, not merely a concession for the sake of argument. It was a binding concession that Bentson did not file valid returns for the years 1983 and 1984\u2026 Having stated in open court that he was not claiming that he filed valid tax returns, Bentson may not now claim that the government failed to prove he did not file valid tax returns.<\/p>\n

United States v. Bentson<\/em>, 947 F.2d 1353, 1356 (9th<\/sup> Cir. 1991).<\/p>\n

And Pennsylvania law? There is nothing express about opening statements or closing arguments being binding judicial admissions, but the general principle is accepted.\u00a0 “Statements of fact by one party in pleadings, stipulations, testimony, and the like, made for that party’s benefit, are termed judicial admissions and are binding on the party.”\u00a0 State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Palmer<\/em>, 2021 Pa. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 2801, *9 (citation and internal quotation omitted).\u00a0 It includes statements \u201cmade in court\u201d by a party\u2019s attorney, at least as to facts that are admitted unequivocally.\u00a0 Coleman v. Wyeth Pharms., Inc., 6 A.3d 502, 524 (Pa.Super. 2010).<\/p>\n

So, what does this imply?\u00a0 In extreme instances, what is stated in opening or closing becomes binding, warranting that lawyers think before they speak.\u00a0 And even if not binding, it may in some instances be consider a party opponent statement, with counsel as the agent of or authorized spokesperson for the litigant.\u00a0 Finally, of course, this is all law.\u00a0 Your words in an opening are grist for your opponent\u2019s mill \u2013 they may be thrown back at you as promises that were broken or apparent concessions.\u00a0 Binding or not, be careful for how words might be used against you and your cause.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We all know the admonition from Miranda v. Arizona \u2013 anything you say may be used against you.\u00a0 The question lawyers need to ponder \u2013 and adversaries need to pounce upon \u2013 is whether that same admonition applies to what lawyers say in their openings and closings, with the added concern that the warning will<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"coauthors":[330],"class_list":["post-3743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advocacy-and-evidence-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nWARNING: YOUR OPENING STATEMENT OR CLOSING ARGUMENT MAY BE USED AGAINST YOU - Advocacy and Evidence Resources<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/law.temple.edu\/aer\/2024\/01\/16\/3743\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WARNING: YOUR OPENING STATEMENT OR CLOSING ARGUMENT MAY BE USED AGAINST YOU - Advocacy and Evidence Resources\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We all know the admonition from Miranda v. 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