O.C. Juror Training Video: Objection!

He’s no Roger Ebert, but civil trial attorney Steven Young knows how to spread the word when he hates a movie.

For several years, the Irvine lawyer has been battling the Orange County court system, urging it to yank a training video shown to tens of thousands of prospective jurors each year. Young says the video should be scrapped because it’s biased against plaintiffs in civil suits.

Young particularly objects to a scene in which a plaintiff on the witness stand is cross-examined skeptically about an injury she allegedly suffered, saying the scene leaves potential jurors with a bad taste in their mouths. He’s asked judges in numerous cases to dispense with the video, but to no avail.

“It makes all plaintiffs out to look like liars,” Young said. “That’s not fair, and jurors shouldn’t be required to watch it.”

Superior Court officials and those legal associations that approved the film disagree. The tape, they say, is fair.

However, officials do agree that the 16-year-old tape is a little embarrassing for its dated look and said an updated version is planned. The video’s host and narrator is 1950s and ‘60s television star Fess Parker--better known to viewers as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.

“The only complaint we get is from jurors who say they don’t want to watch Fess Parker; they want Brad Pitt,” said Carole Levitzky, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Superior Courts.

The video was produced just for Orange County courts and introduces jurors to the basics of court proceedings.

Much of this is done through a mock personal-injury trial in which the plaintiff says she suffered painful back injuries in a car accident.

On the witness stand, after the plaintiff says it is painful for her to sit for long, the opposing lawyer attempts to raise doubts.

“Wasn’t it true that you sat for long periods of time at Oakland Hills Country Club?” the lawyer asks the plaintiff.

The plaintiff’s only response is “Well . . .” and the scene changes.

“I’ve looked at that film four times and I’ve never picked up on anything pejorative,” said Andrew Guilford, immediate past president of the State Bar of California and current president of the Orange County Assn. of Business Trial Lawyers. “I think it cuts straight down the middle.”

Officials said they are considering retiring the tape soon because some lawyers and jurors have made fun of how old it appears.

Lawyers also have joked about the performances of the actors, some of whom are real lawyers and judges.

“Parts of it are really kind of corny,” commented one lawyer, who asked not to be identified. “I always thought the lawyers in it were kind of wooden, and a little bit scary.”

Levitzky said it was unclear when a new video will be done, because there is no funding for it right now. She said no script or dialogue had been written yet and that such a script would have to be approved by the Orange County Bar Assn. before it was made into a video.

Young said that once court officials decide to make a new video, he wants in on the action.

“I’ve got some experience with scripts. I’d be happy to help them put something together.”