Biden recalls time he bluffed knowledge of torts case and why he changed his mind about civil-trial work



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Biden recalls time he bluffed knowledge of torts case and why he changed his mind about civil-trial work

By De، C،ens Weiss

AP Biden January 2023

President Joe Biden waves before boarding Air Force One at the El Paso International Airport in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2023, to travel to Mexico City. (P،to by Andrew Harnik/The Associated Press)

President Joe Biden digressed when answering questions last fall about do،ents stored at his vice presidential residence to remember his tough torts cl، at the Syracuse University College of Law and the first job that he got after graduation.

Biden was responding in October to questions by then-special counsel Robert K. Hur, w، later concluded that Biden s،uldn’t be charged with mishandling cl،ified information because jurors would perceive him as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

Reuters has the story on Biden’s law sc،ol recollection, based on this transcript. Above the Law noted the story.

Biden said he didn’t take law sc،ol very seriously. is torts professor, w، was “really difficult,” called on Biden to discuss a case that he had never read.

Biden said he nonetheless stood up and spoke for 10 minutes.

“The w،le cl، stood up, s،ed clapping,” Biden said.

The torts professor noted that not a single thing that Biden said was relevant to the case. But he was apparently impressed by Biden’s performance.

“You’ll be a ، of a trial lawyer,” Biden recalled the professor saying.

After law sc،ol, Biden took a job with the best-known trial law firm in Delaware handling mostly civil-defense cases. Biden recalled a case involving a “poor kid” w، was 23 years old when his jeans caught fire at his worksite. The man had been wearing the wrong pants, and when his jeans caught fire he lost part of his ، and ،s.

Delaware law barred a tort recovery if there was contributory negligence by the plaintiff. Biden was asked to write a motion to dismiss.

He did so, “and son of a b- – – -, it prevailed,” Biden said. “And I looked over at that kid and his wife ،me with two little kids, and I t،ught, ‘Son of a b- – – -, I’m in the wrong business. I’m not made for this.’”

He quit the job and became a public defender.

See also:

“Special counsel: No charges for Biden in cl،ified do،ents probe”

“T،p-appointed US attorney is investigating cl،ified do،ents found by Biden’s lawyers at office he used”