Practice with your courtroom props!
Jack Bauer may be an expert with firearms, but Kiefer Sutherland, the actor who portrays him on the hit show 24, isn’t. To make sure that the character looks like he knows what he’s doing when he handles a weapon like the Sig Sauer P228 9mm (either with or without the silencer), you can bet that Kiefer spent a significant amount of time familiarizing himself with the prop before they started filming. Before your next trial, it’s essential that you familiarize yourself with your props,...
Read MorePreparing Your Witnesses for Trial
As you get closer to your trial date, your days and nights will be consumed by trial preparation. An important part of that work is helping your witnesses get ready to testify. Of course, you know that you can’t tell witnesses what to say (not if you want to continue practicing law), but you can help them prepare how they will say it. Here are some tips to improve your pre-trial witness preparation: Don’t give advice before you see how the witness performs. If you went to the doctor...
Read MoreGetting the Most Out of Your Expert Witness
Sometimes, you won’t have much choice in picking your experts (ex. The treating physician, the toxicologist who analyzed your drugs). But, if you do get the opportunity to pick your expert, think about what type of expert you’d like. Within your range of choices, do you have an expert who has practical, specific knowledge about this particular subject matter? If your case involves a crash between two sedans, you’d be better off having someone who specializes in crashes between sedans rather than a...
Read MoreIs your deposition record worthless?
The depositions were taking longer than expected, and they were some of the most boring depos I’ve ever attended. As we approached 3 o’clock, I could barely keep my eyes open. Luckily, closing my eyes for a brief moment helped me “see” what the deposition transcript would “look” like, and helped me understand the differences between talking to a witness, versus talking to “the record.” Take a look at two sample questions that were asked: “This blood here, is that from this general...
Read MoreTrial Lawyer Battle Royale: Barristers vs. Solicitors
Lawyers around the world have different perspectives and different beliefs regarding the art of trial advocacy and the role of trial lawyers. Here’s an article I found at the UK’s Guardian. The article itself isn’t the highlight — check out the comments section for some interesting insight into the role of barristers vs. solicitors, and the public’s opinion of lawyers in the UK. As an outsider (I’m in the U.S. legal system), I found it interesting...
Read MoreResources for Trial Lawyers
