NITA Publications

World Oil Co. v. Northeast Shipbuilding Case File

The plaintiff, World Oil Company, is seeking to recover from the defendants, Northeast Shipbuilding Toiler Salvage Company, all or a portion of the $1,200,000.000 in damages awarded to Nita claimants as a result of the grounding and breakup of World Oil's supertanker, the J. B. John, which suffered a complete failure of her steering gear and began to drift out of control. The supertanker grounded and broke in half, spilling her 230,000 tons of crude oil into the water and subsequently onto Nita's shore. Other State of Nita, Nita citizens, and various business and tourist enterprises sued World Oil in federal district court for damages caused by the oil spill, alleging that the spill was caused by World's negligence in putting an unseaworthy vessel to sea. The Government of Nita and other Nita claimants also claimed that World's agent, Captain Griffin, performed his duties as captain negligently when he delayed calling for tug assistance after he knew that the J. B. John steering gear was inoperative. The Nita claimants were awarded a total of $1,200,000,000 against World on the basis of those claims. World has claims for indemnity and contribution against Northeast Shipbuilding, the manufacturer of the steering gear, claiming that the defective design and manufacture of the steering system caused the grounding and resultant oil spill. World has also filed a claim for indemnification and contribution against the Toiler Salvage Company, claiming negligence in the tug Superior's attempt to tow the J. B. John. The manufacturer of the steering gear and the tug company defend these claims by asserting that they were not negligent and by alleging that the cause of the grounding was the negligence of the other parties to the action.

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• >> TABLE OF CONTENTS
  PROBLEMS
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  INTRODUCTION
  
  A. Direct and Cross Examination of Lay Witnesses
  1. Captain Francis Griffin
  2. Captain Kurt Barkhausen
  3. Jonathan Strong
  4. John Christian
  5. Chief Engineer Noyes
  6. Captain James Bird
  
  B. Direct and Cross Examination of Expert Witnesses
  7. Dr. Joshua Copp
  8. James Asbury
  9. Lawrence McCormick
  10. Stewart Corlis
  11. Patrick O'Rourke
  12. John Clarke
  13. Paul Martin
  14. Roger Campbell
  
  C. Impeachment and Rehabilitation
  15. John Christian
  16. Captain Kurt Barkhausen
  
  D. Adverse Examination
  17. Captain Kurt Barkhausen
  18. Captain Francis Griffin
  
  E. Jury Selection
  19. Jury Selection
  
  F. Opening Statements
  20. Opening Statements
  
  G. Closing Arguments
  21. Closing Arguments
  
  
  CASE FILE
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  A. Introduction
  
  B. The Parties
  
  C. Procedural Aspects of the Case
  
  D. Pleadings
  
  1. World Oil Co.'s Complaint Against Northeast Shipbuilding, Inc.
  2. World Oil Co.' s Complaint Against Toiler Salvage Co.
  3. Answer of Northeast Shipbuilding, Inc.
  4. Answer of Toiler Salvage Co.
  
  E. Pre-Trial Order
  
  1. Introduction to Pre-Trial Order
  2. World Oil Co.' s Pre-Trial Submission
  3. Northeast Shipbuilding's Pre-Trial Submission
  4. Toiler Salvage Co.' s Pre-Trial Submission
  
  F. Deposition Summaries
  
  1. World Oil Company's Witnesses
  Francis Griffin
  John Christian
  Lauren Noyes
  James Bird
  Roger Campbell
  John Clarke
  Joshua Copp
  Dr. David Willett
  Lawrence McCormick
  Patrick O'Rourke
  
  2. Northeast Shipbuilding, Inc.'s Witnesses
  Jonathon Strong
  James Asbury
  Stewart Corlis
  
  3. Toiler Salvage Company's Witnesses
  Kurt Barkhausen
  Paul Martin
  
  G. Exhibits
  
  H. Jury Instructions
  
  I. Special Verdict Form
  
  J. Glossary of Terms

• >> AUTHOR
  
  
  • Thomas F. Geraghty
    
    
    • Thomas F. Geraghty has been the associate dean for Clinical Education at Northwestern University School of Law since 1981, where he is also a professor and has directed the Bluhm Legal Clinic since 1976. He joined the clinic in 1970 as a staff attorney. He teaches clinical practice, trial advocacy, appellate advocacy, lawyering process, juvenile law, criminal procedure, legal ethics, negotiation as well as children and the law. During his 36 years of teaching and practice, Geraghty has specialized in the representation of clients in juvenile court (both juvenile justice and child protection). He has also been active in juvenile court reform projects and has written training materials for lawyers who represent children and parents, often in cooperation with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of NITA. Geraghty has worked in Africa and Asia on research projects involving juvenile justice, the legal problems of street children, the status of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, women in the legal profession and freedom of the press. He is active in several professional organizations and the recipient of many awards, including being named one of Illinois Top Ten Law Teachers by Chicago Lawyer magazine, Laureate of The Illinois State Bar Association Academy of Lawyers, the Appleseed Fund for Justice, Chicago Council of Lawyers' Commitment to Justice Award, among others.