San Diego is just 8 WEEKS away! Take a look at a couple of the topics that would be of interest to you and if you haven't already, click here<http://imla.org/images/links/2016Conf/SDSchedule-7.27.2016.pdf> to view the full tentative schedule. Body Worn Cameras: From Policy Considerations to Boots on the Ground Deployment The first part of this presentation will discuss the array of legal and policy considerations associated with the deployment of body-worn video for law enforcement. Among the considerations will be creation, storage, access, retention, evidentiary limitations and chain of custody. Creating the right constellation of participants early on - police, prosecutors, the press, the public and politicians - will lead to policies that appropriately consider and then balance the interests of each. The next presenter will focus on the practical limitations of body cameras. While the public and many officials are getting in line for body cameras because they believe body cameras will show us the "truth," this presentation will reveal the flaw in that logic, including the weaknesses with the use of body cameras. The final part of this presentation will provide a practical discussion of the boots on the ground experience in Duluth, Minnesota. Two years after their deployment, this presenter will discuss what they've learned about body cameras, basic data retention mechanics, cost of data retention / storage as well as how to prepare for trial with video evidence from body cameras. Speakers: Professor Richard Myers, Henry Brandis Distinguished Professor of Law, University of North Carolina School of law, Nathan LaCoursiere, Assistant City Attorney, Duluth, Minnesota & Jack Ryan, Co-Director, Legal Liability & Risk Management Institute Hot Topics under Section 1983: Litigating Deadly Force Claims; Malicious Prosecution Claims; & Arrest and Custody Issues Involving the Mentally Ill The first presentation will focus on the standard for granting summary judgment to a police officer defendant in a case asserting claims for deadly force under the 4th Amendment and whether such a standard is more stringent than that set forth in FRCP 56. The next presentation will examine malicious prosecution claims under Section 1983, including the pending Supreme Court case Manuel v. City of Joliet and its implications for municipalities. The third presentation will discuss liability under Section 1983 for police officers' failure to provide medical care for the mentally ill or for individuals under the influence of drugs. After delving into a harrowing example of such a case from her own litigation experience, the presenter will provide an overview of court decisions in the area, including those that found organizational liability. Speakers: John Wilkerson, Staff Attorney with Arkansas Municipal League, Moses Johnson, Assistant City Attorney at Anaheim City Attorney's Office & Melinda Barlow, Senior Counsel with Kelly Hart Litigation, a Sword and a Shield: A Case Study for Affirmative Litigation - Monsanto's PCBs & Defending Class Action Employment Litigation This panel will provide great examples of two ends of the spectrum - affirmative litigation and defense of class actions and the lessons you can learn from these cases to take home and apply to evaluating your own cases. The first presentation will provide an overview of the lawsuits cities are bringing against Monsanto related to PCBs. Monsanto manufactured PCB chemicals, which are toxic, cannot be contained, and do not biodegrade. Monsanto had superior knowledge that its PCBs were a "global contaminant," but Monsanto chose to sell and promote them anyway. Now, major U.S. cities are suing Monsanto to recover cleanup costs spent due to Clean Water Act and regulatory requirements. San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, Portland, Seattle, and Spokane have all filed suit, holding Monsanto accountable. Learn about these lawsuits from the attorneys who are litigating them and what your city can do about the problem. The second presentation will discuss the recent focus of the Supreme Court and lower courts on class action litigation. Municipalities have experienced class actions, like many other employers. This presentation will address the current state of the law on class certification under FRCP 23; strategies to defeat class certification; plaintiffs' responses to the Wal-Mart v. Dukes decision; and the current status of the use of arbitration agreements to avoid class actions. Speakers: Scott Summy, Shareholder with Baron & Budd, John Fiske, Manager of Complex Litigation Practice Group for Gomez Trial Attorneys, Kenneth Willner, Vice Chair Employment Group Paul Hastings & Tammy Daub, of counsel, Paul Hastings Reed's Impact on Solicitation Ordinances: Are You Regulating Content, Conduct and/or Communication? Most forms of solicitation receive First Amendment protection. Many cities that choose to regulate aggressive panhandling modeled their ordinances on ones blessed by federal judges, including former Justice Souter. After Reed v. Town of Gilbert in June 2015, some of those "safe" approaches were called into question. The presenters will discuss alternative strategies that are more likely to avoid, or satisfy, strict First Amendment scrutiny. Speakers: John Baker, Attorney, Greene Espel PLLP, Deborah Fox, Principal, Meyers Nave, Christine O'Connor, City Solicitor, Lowell, MA & Michael Carlson, Assistant City Solicitor, Lowell, MA "Debtor's Prison" Litigation This panel will take a look at the recent national trend of "debtor's prison litigation." These so-called debtor prison cases stem from the ACLU and DOJ's recent efforts to stamp out what they claim are sit- uations of state and local courts jailing people based on their inability to pay fines and fees. The City of Austin recently prevailed on a Rule 12(b)(6) Motion to Dismiss a class action lawsuit, claiming that Municipal Judges were imprisoning indigent citizens for misdemeanor criminal offenses in violation of their civil rights under 42 USC 1983. During this presentation, Judge Statman will address the Austin Municipal Court operations, the view from the bench for Judges, and best practices administratively for court administrators in light of Harris. Chris Edwards will discuss the lawsuit against the City which was dismissed, as well as the lawsuit against our Judges which is forthcoming. Robin Harris will speak on applicable Texas laws, and offer an overview of lawsuits across the nation, as well as the view from the other side of the bench. Speakers: The Honorable Sherry Statman, Austin Municipal Court Presiding Judge, Chris Edwards, Asst. City Attorney, City of Austin, TX & Robin Harris, Asst. City Attorney, City of Austin, TX CLICK HERE<http://imla.org/images/links/2016Conf/2016ConferenceRefFormSD.pdf> & REGISTER TODAY!!