The Impossible Mock Orange Trial

This is the first book, “The Impossible Mock Orange Trial,” released in 2020, as the first of a trilogy of novels in the “Ted Born Courtroom Dramas/Thrillers” series, shich include “The Vow: Ted Born’s Last Trial,” released in 2021, and “The Jury Has a Verdict!”, released in August 2022. It is a fictionalized journey through the ins and outs, and ups and downs, of an actual high-stakes trial I had in which my client was being sued because one of its tires on a van blew out, with the van crashing into a Mock Orange tree. As a result, one child was killed, another child was brain injured, and other occupants of the van sustained various other significant injuries. This was a classic “impossible to win” case that received local and national press coverage. By writing the story as fiction, I was able to include conversations, actions and strategies of opposing parties and counsel to which I was not privy. Defending this case would be a daunting task in any courtroom in the Country. But in this case, the lead character Ted Born was going to trial in a county with a history of enormous jury verdicts in favor of local residents against big corporations, even in minor cases. In addition, the owner of the van was the popular and well-known Sheriff of the County who had loaned the van to its driver, and some of the occupants were relatives of his. The African-American race of the plaintiffs was also a factor.
   
   It developed that there were good defenses for the tire manufacturer, including a worn out tire status, but there were issues of responsibility for the tire maintenance, as well the natural tendency of a jury to favor the injured and bereaved home-turf plaintiffs, with the defendants being large out-of-state corporations.
   
   The case would prove to be a roller coaster ride, with the verdict to be rendered by a jury of eleven African Americans and one Caucasian. In this case, the action does not end with the verdict, and much of the drama occurs after the verdict. The story is engaging, has unforgettable word images, and evokes reflection on what is justice in a case of this kind.