$1.1M Verdict Against Rapper Fetty Wap’s Record Label Overturned Due to Improper Closing Statement

The Golden Rule, the idea that we should treat others the way we want to be treated, is a good aphorism. It’s a pithy encapsulation of how people in a society should behave. However, the divide between common sense, morality, etc., and what is permissible in courts of law can be significant. In that vein, one of the fundamental rules of trial advocacy is that attorneys are not allowed to make Golden Rule appeals to a jury. It really is one of the easiest ways to get a big verdict reversed, as a former employee of rapper Fetty Wap who sued his record label found out in a New Jersey case. The link gives more details, but essentially, the plaintiff’s lawyer asked the jury to award her what they think they’d deserve if they were in her shoes. That’s almost always disallowed. Now, the parties will gear up for another trial.

If the jury awarded $1.1 million (that’s 1738 turns around 630) there’s a good chance they were on the plaintiff’s side anyway, without the offending statements. Just one more instance showing how important it is to do your best to win but also to make sure to do so in the right way.