Judge Paulette Sapp-Peterson will instruct the 10 jurors next week after attorneys present their closing arguments, which will follow months of testimony.Then the five men and five women will deliberate over the facts of the case.

Daniel Hussong, former head coach of the girls varsity basketball team, is being sued by former player Jennifer Besler, a 1996 graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, and her parents, Carol and Philip.

The Beslers claim Hussong verbally abused Jennifer and ordered her to lose 10 pounds for the 1995-96 season. This conduct, they claim, led to mental distress and an eating disorder from which Jennifer still suffers.

They are also suing Hussong’s wife and assistant coach, Lori Hussong, and the WW-P school board and administrators.

In the absence of the litigants and the jurors, all five attorneys met in state Superior Court yesterday and combed through more than 20 pages of text prepared by the plaintiffs.

They tinkered for hours with both substance and semantics.

"Do you agree to use the word, ‘injury?’" the judge asked, sometime in the second hour.

"That’s OK," replied defense attorney Sharon Moore, looking down and flipping through her copy.

They deleted paragraphs, moved or manipulated text, translated legalisms and reconstructed phrases before adjourning for the day.

The plaintiffs have lodged complaints of negligence against Hussong, negligent supervision against the school board and administrators, and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Hussong and his wife.

This morning, attorneys will argue over a First Amendment claim. Defense attorneys will then enter their exhibits, concluding this portion of the trial.

Jurors convene March 10 to hear closing arguments.