Posted Jun 01, 2023
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For the fourth time, Arizona Attorney Magazine has recognized a Wieneke Law Group defense verdict as one of the significant defense verdicts of 2022. In the personal injury and Section 1983 civil rights action, Kathy Wieneke and Laura Van Buren tried and successfully defended corrections personnel accused of retaliation and deliberate indifference to inmate safety for what the plaintiff alleged were systemically broken prison door locks. At trial, the plaintiff requested compensatory and punitive damages ranging from $10 million to $100 million, but after a six-day trial and three hours of deliberations, the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict.
In 2018, Arizona Attorney Magazine recognized a defense verdict Ms. Wieneke obtained in a personal injury and Section 1983 civil rights action where she tried and successfully defended law enforcement officers accused of falsely detaining the plaintiff and then allegedly using excessive force in his arrest.
Before that, in 2012, Ms. Wieneke obtained a defense verdict in another law enforcement case that was also recognized in the annual Civil Verdicts issue. In spite of having to try the case in a climate where public sentiment against the police was running high, Ms. Wieneke successfully defended a law enforcement officer involved in the shooting of a suspect who fled from police after attempting a “beer run” (shoplifting beer) at a convenience store.
Finally, in 2014, Arizona Attorney recognized Ms. Wieneke’s results in a road design case arising out of a freeway car crash. The plaintiff alleged that the median’s slope caused her to travel under the cable barrier and into oncoming traffic, causing her to sustain a traumatic brain injury and loss of her left arm. Ms. Wieneke successfully countered the plaintiff’s theory of the case before a jury, resulting in another defense verdict.
Kathy Wieneke has spent over 30 years defending excessive force claims and litigating road cases, amassing extensive experience and expertise. In recognition of her accomplishments, professionalism, and legal skills, Kathy has received numerous distinctions and honors, including being named an Arizona Super Lawyer by Arizona Super Lawyers Magazine, achieving AV® Preeminent™ Rating by Martindale-Hubbell, and being accepted as an Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates for her extensive trial experience. She is a Member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, and was selected to the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for her accomplishments over the past 31 years.
In her almost 10 years of practice, Laura Van Buren has distinguished herself by her professionalism, dedication to her clients, and as a through and articulate writer and advocate. Earlier this year, the team at Super Lawyers selected Laura as one of a small percentage of lawyers in the state to receive the honor of being listed–for the third time–as a Southwest Rising Star. Laura focuses her practice on government liability defense, including the defense of civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Bivens actions, and state law torts.
