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Month: October 2007

Shakespeare’s advice about overtrying lawsuits

Shakespeare’s advice about overtrying lawsuits

One of the most common problems of trial lawyers is their tendency to over try their cases. Too many witnesses, too many exhibits, too lengthy examinations, especially over doing cross examination. It’s because they haven’t fully thought out the three main points of their case and are uncertain about which facts or exhibits are more significant then others so they just put it all into the case. The result is a turned off and bored jury. Let’s remember the wisdom…

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Trial lawyers and clear writing

Trial lawyers and clear writing

Clear writing is an essential requirement for trial lawyers. My wife Lita gave me a book by Lynne Truss Eats, Shoots and Leaves which deals with the proper use of pronunciation marks and has cartoon’s to illustrate the lessons. I think the lessons are important about clear writing and the proper use of pronunciation marks. Here’s an example: A panda walks into the library. He eats a sandwich, then draws his bow and shoots two arrows. "Why did you do…

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The great clarence darrow and the massie trial

The great clarence darrow and the massie trial

lCarence Darrow came out of retirement several times. Once for the Scopes trial, once for the Leopold and Leob trial and once for the Massie case in Honolulu. The Massie affair began in 1931 when a young navy wife Thalia Massie claimed she had been gang raped by four or five Hawaiians. Arrests followed and a jury, which included two Chinese and two Japanese jurors, heard final arguments on December 1, 1931. After ninety seven hours of deliberations the jury…

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