A great deal has been written about the connection between script and screen play writing to our trial planning. The source of the most generally accepted way to write a story for a movie or book is a pattern identified by American scholar Joseph Campbell applicable to drama and story telling. It’s basic format involves the hero who goes out doing great deeds on behalf of his or her tribe, group or civilization generally. Here’s a general outline of Joseph…
We all know that it is very important the juryunderstand that the standard of proof for our case is simply more probably truethen not true. It is not that of a criminal case. We must start educating them about this in voir dire and continue the process throughout the trial. In opening statement you cover the point. On direct examination, you remind the witness (for the jury’s benefit) thestandard is more probably true then not true. In cross,you do the…
Someone commented that for the inexperienced cross examination is a real challenge. Let me suggest one way to prepare for cross examination. This is not a description of how to organize the material you create because I’ve written about that previously. /bcCreatePost.aspx?id=2101419 This is a simple way to think about getting ready for cross examination. These concepts apply generally to any cross examination but to keep it simple, let’s take the example of a doctor hired by the insurance company…