Douglas A. Sears (Ret.)
Of Counsel
Following graduation from law school, Mr. Sears joined the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office for the purpose of honing his trial skills. After eleven months, he successfully tried his first 1st-degree murder case, becoming the youngest deputy in the office to ever prosecute a murder case. Before leaving the D.A.’s office, he became the supervisor of the Major Crimes Trial Unit and successfully tried eleven additional 1st-degree murder cases. In August 1979, he joined the firm, becoming a named partner less than a year later. Hank Matheny died in February 1984 and since then, Mr. Sears has been the senior partner in what is now Matheny Sears Linkert & Jaime, LLP.
Since joining the firm, Mr. Sears has successfully tried cases on behalf of such clients as Remington Arms Company, Michelin North America, Inc. and Kaz, Inc., manufacturer of Vicks Vaporizers, U-Haul International, Inc. and Swift Transportation, Inc.
Have been retained and successfully resolved many cases in which insurers have become dissatisfied with initially retained defense counsel and requested I assume role of lead defense counsel.
Selected Results
- Obtained favorable jury verdict in product liability case involving allegations of design defect in Remington Model 11 semi-automatic shotgun where plaintiff had blown off his right (dominant) hand while attempting to unload the weapon.
- Obtained defense verdict in product liability case, tried in Federal District Court, involving allegations of design and manufacturing defects in Michelin tire where left rear tire suffered failure, and vehicle crossed center median of Interstate 5 and impacted Porsche, instantly killing husband driver and causing debilitating permanent injuries to wife/passenger.
- Obtained defense verdict in 3 ½ month trial defending New York corporation whose employee allegedly experienced “road rage” episode on Interstate 205, while in the course & scope of his employment, causing Toyota 4Runner to overturn resulting in quadriplegia of wife/front seat passenger. Jury deliberated 2 hours and returned verdicts in favor of client and co-defendant Toyota.
- Obtained favorable result in product liability case, tried in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon, involving allegations of design defect and failure to warn of Model V150 Vicks Vaporizer resulting to 3rd-degree burns to both hands of 18-month-old child with resultant 26% whole body permanent disability.
- Obtained favorable result in trucking case where client’s tractor trailer allegedly forced passenger van with four occupants into oncoming lane of state highway causing head-on collision between van and pickup truck and resulted in death of four occupants of van and passenger in pickup truck.
- Obtained defense verdict in product liability case involving allegations of design defect in the control mechanisms of a “hide puller” machine used in a slaughterhouse where a worker was decapitated in the “hide puller” machine by a chain that became wrapped around his neck.
Professional Associations
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- California State Bar Association
- Sacramento County Bar Association
- Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada
- President in 2005
- DRI – The Voice of the Defense
Recognition
- Continuing Education of the Bar presenter on topics pertaining to trial procedures & tactics
- Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada- presenter on topics pertaining to trial procedures and tactics