📄 Witness attendance during closing argument — Tuesday, January 21, 1997
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CIVIL\1997\JAN\21\WITNESS-ATTENDANCE-DURING-CLOS.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 45 of 57

Witness attendance during closing argument

Date: Tuesday, January 21, 1997 • Lines: 5
Robert Baker asks the court to let Charlotte Blasier attend the remaining proceedings as Robert Blasier's attendant following serious back surgery. The court declines to change its exclusion order, citing courtroom order. Robert Blasier separately requests a break to bring the matter before Judge Perez. The jury returns for closing arguments.
1 MR. BAKER:

Your Honor, may I request -- and I know you've made your ruling, but may I request a -- I understand that you have previously excluded Charlotte Blasier from the courtroom.

Bob Blasier, as you are well aware, has had some very serious back surgery. She is really his attendant. And the infraction that she had relative to when she was here earlier before the Christmas break, I think was inadvertent, minor.

We would be most appreciative if she could be in the courtroom for the remaining days while Mr. Blasier is here and gives his final summation and opinion, she will be there, and there is no objection from the plaintiffs' counsel, we would appreciate your consideration in that regard, sir.

2 THE COURT:

Well, I think the considerations that the Court had in making its order doesn't really have anything to do with the plaintiff, it has to do with maintenance of order in the Courtroom, and the Court will not change its ruling. Bring the jury in.

KEY QUOTE
3 MR. BLASIER:

Your Honor, may I request -- respectfully request that we take a break at the time Judge Perez is taking a break. I'd like to ask to bring this matter before him.

4 THE COURT:

It's my courtroom, Mr. Blasier.

KEY QUOTE
5

MR. BLASIER: I'm just making that as a request. (Jurors resume their respective seats.) (The following proceedings were held in open court in the presence of the jury.)

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (2)

THE COURT
It's my courtroom, Mr. Blasier.
Fujisaki firmly shutting down Blasier's attempt to escalate the matter to another judge, asserting sole authority over his courtroom.
THE COURT
the considerations that the Court had in making its order doesn't really have anything to do with the plaintiff, it has to do with maintenance of order in the Courtroom, and the Court will not change its ruling.
Fujisaki clarifies his exclusion order was a neutral courtroom-management decision, not a ruling favoring plaintiffs.

Notable Exchanges (1)

MR. BLASIER•THE COURT
Blasier asked to synchronize a recess with Judge Perez's break so he could bring the exclusion matter before him — an indirect attempt to go around Fujisaki's ruling. Fujisaki shut it down immediately.
tense

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 8845 • 5 lines
Civil Trial
Department 103
📂 JAN 21, 1997 📄 Witness attendance during clos
JAN 21, 1997