From Stilp v. Borough of West Chester, decided Monday by Judge Gene Pratter (E.D. Pa.):
The practice of law is not easy; it demands thorough research and writing, nearly always on a deadline. A quick turnaround does not excuse a lawyer's ethical duties to the Court, and there is never an excuse for appropriating the work of another lawyer—let alone opposing counsel—and presenting it as one's own….
The underlying lawsuit involved flag-burning, of all things (see here), but this opinion stemmed from the filing of a motion in limine seeking to exclude a code enforcement officer's (Officer Gore's) testimony as to certain matters. Plaintiffs' lawyers sent a copy of the motion to the Borough's lawyer the evening before the deadline for the motions.
