Crystal S. Deese

Crystal S. Deese practices medical malpractice, serious personal injury and commercial litigation.

Ms. Deese cultivates strong relationships with her clients and colleagues as well as her adversaries. This balanced respect has earned her a reputation for being an aggressive, tenacious advocate for her client who is, additionally, trustworthy and professional.

She has recently been recognized as a Rising Star among the very talented community of medical malpractice counsel in Maryland.

Bar Memberships

Maryland State Bar Association
Virginia State Bar
The District of Columbia Bar
South Carolina Bar Association (inactive)

Past Leadership

Editor, D.C. Defense Lawyers Newsletter (2001)
Voting Delegate 34th Annual Judicial Conference, Superior Court of the District of Columbia (June 19, 2009)

Education

Juris Doctor, American University Washington College of Law (1996)
Bachelor of Arts, Winthrop College (1993)

Publications and Reported Cases

"Rape and the Requirement of Force: Is there hope for Pennsylvania after Pennsylvania v. Berkowitz?” 4 Am. U. J. Gender and L167 (1995)

News

On October 20, 2009, Ms. Deese persuaded the D.C. Court of Appeals to affirm the trial court's dismissal of a wrongful death claim because the Plaintiff was not the decedent's personal representative and suit was filed after the statute of limitations expired. The case was dismissed in the trial court by way of preliminary Rule 12(b)(6) motion.
On May 1, 2009, Ms. Deese won summary judgment after conducting only two depositions on the basis of the statute of limitations. Plaintiffs, parents of a deceased minor, failed to sue two physicians and one hospital within the appropriate time period but claimed their lack of medical information tolled the limitations period. The Superior Court of the District of Columbia rejected that argument and awarded Ms. Deese’s client summary judgment. Plaintiffs did not appeal.
On June 19, 2009, Ms. Deese won summary judgment for a hospital at the initial pleading stage for a Plaintiff’s failure to comply with the 90-day pre-suit notice requirement. The case was pending in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and no appeal was filed.
On September 10, 2009, Ms. Deese gave a power point presentation about apology statutes to the DC and MD Society of Hospital Risk Managers. The presentation was very well received and Ms. Deese accepted several requests to give the presentation to other audiences. She has a presentation entitled “Litigation 101” that she gave in July 2009 and will give again in October 2009 to residents in local hospitals.

ISLN: 912048565