Trial And Clinical Practice Skills in a Nutshell

by Hegland, Kenney F.

• ISBN13: 9780314158840
• ISBN10: 0314158847
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-26
• Publisher: West Academic

Summary

Provides expert advice that will help strengthen your trial and practice skills. Problem solving, legal writing and argument, case planning, and closing arguments are covered in this text. Also offers guidance for improving your office skills, interviewing techniques, discovery, negotiation, and counseling skills.

Table of Contents

Dedication	iii
Preface	v
Acknowledgements	xi
Summary of Contents	xv
Part One: Skills for All Seasons
Inner Advocacy	3	(16)
Dealing with the Little Voice of Doom	3	(4)
Getting Used to Silence	7	(2)
Teaching Yourself	9	(4)
Discovering Yourself	13	(1)
Planning and Spontaneity	14	(3)
On the Virtues of Writing	17	(2)
Solving Problems	19	(14)
Find the Easiest Problem	20	(2)
Avoid Labels, Tendencies, and Judgment	22	(4)
Brainstorm and Write	26	(1)
The Paradox of Dogma	27	(6)
Telling Stories	33	(13)
Point of View	36	(2)
Opening Lines and Themes	38	(1)
The Power of Language	39	(1)
Details, Not Abstractions	40	(3)
Dealing with Inconvenient Facts	43	(1)
Delivery	44	(1)
Brevity	45	(1)
Mistakes, Miscalculations, and Lies	46	(17)
Mistakes in Remembering	46	(7)
Miscalculations in Deciding	53	(4)
Lies	57	(6)
Part Two: Trial Skills
Trials: Strategic Choices	63	(9)
Preparation	65	(2)
Surprise Endings	67	(2)
Order	69	(1)
Drawing the Sting	69	(3)
Direct Examination: Clarity and Drama	72	(11)
Clarity	73	(6)
Drama	79	(4)
Direct: Credibility	83	(17)
Presenting Believable Witnesses	83	(11)
Presenting Experts	94	(2)
Preparing Witnesses	96	(1)
Focus Groups, and Jury Consultants	96	(2)
Direct in a Nutshell	98	(2)
Mad Dogs and Englishmen: An Introduction to Cross Examination	100	(8)
A Brief Aside: Reality	102	(2)
Role-Differentiated Behavior	104	(4)
Friendly Cross Examination	108	(11)
Pointless Cross: The Novice's First Choice	108	(2)
Getting the Witness to Help Your Case	110	(4)
Limiting the Damage: What the Witness Didn't Say	114	(5)
Hostile Cross	119	(17)
Confronting the Witness With Your Theory	121	(1)
Discrediting the Witness	122	(3)
Discrediting the Story	125	(10)
A Mini Review	135	(1)
Closing Argument: Choices and Mistakes	136	(16)
Choices to Consider	136	(13)
Do No Harm	149	(3)
Closing Argument: Organization and Delivery	152	(11)
Organizational Issues	152	(7)
Delivery: Arguments as Conversations	159	(4)
Closing: An Illustration	163	(12)
Opening Statement	175	(14)
Road Maps and Storytelling	175	(5)
Defendants' Opening Statements	180	(3)
Delivery	183	(1)
Mistakes	184	(5)
Jury Selection	189	(9)
Who Do You Want?	189	(4)
What to Ask	193	(3)
Mechanics	196	(1)
Post Game	196	(2)
Preparing Your Witnesses	198	(8)
In General	198	(3)
Preparing for Direct	201	(2)
Preparing for Cross	203	(3)
Problem Witnesses	206	(9)
Refreshing Recollection	206	(2)
Evasive Witnesses	208	(3)
Impeaching with Prior Statements	211	(4)
Objections	215	(11)
Admissibility v. Weight	215	(1)
The Beginner's Blunder	215	(1)
Objections: When (and When Not) to Make Them	216	(4)
Responding to Objections	220	(1)
Common Objections: Know Them	221	(5)
Asking Questions	226	(14)
Two Keys to Good Questioning	226	(2)
Types of Questions	228	(1)
Questions on Direct	229	(5)
Questions on Cross	234	(2)
Scales to Practice, Grounders to Field, Eggs to Boil	236	(2)
Do a Direct	238	(1)
Do a Cross, Twice-Once Cross	238	(2)
A Trial Checklist, a Review, or Merely a Badly Placed Preview	240	(7)
Part Three: Appellate Argument
Appellate Argument	247	(19)
Matters of Substance	248	(4)
Matters of Style	252	(5)
Additional Pointers	257	(9)
Part Four: Clinical Skills
Interviewing Clients	266	(19)
Telling the Client What to Expect	267	(2)
Getting the Story	269	(7)
An Exercise	276	(1)
Putting Problems in Context: Five Easy Questions	277	(2)
End Game: Giving Advice	279	(2)
Special Problems	281	(3)
On Being an Authority	284	(1)
Counseling Clients	285	(16)
Who's in Charge?	286	(8)
Counseling Checklists	294	(2)
When Good Clients Go Bad	296	(2)
On Cure and Care	298	(3)
Planning Investigations	301	(12)
Planning Tips	302	(3)
Visiting the Scene and Taking Photographs	305	(1)
Ethical Matters	306	(3)
Circumstantial Evidence: Koch's Postulates, Angst, and Richard Pryor	309	(4)
Interviewing Witnesses	313	(15)
Friendly and Neutral Witnesses	313	(2)
Hostile Witnesses	315	(7)
An Instructive Transcript, with Irritating Editorial Interruptions	322	(6)
Taking Depositions	328	(16)
Planning the Deposition	329	(4)
Your Goals	333	(6)
Taking the Deposition	339	(5)
Defending Depositions	344	(6)
Gearing Up	344	(1)
Prepare Your Witness	345	(2)
Being There	347	(2)
Back at the Office	349	(1)
Negotiation: Conceptual Block-Busting	350	(10)
Money	351	(1)
Hardball Negotiation versus Problem-Solving	352	(4)
An Aside on Bad Reputations	356	(1)
Taking the Conflict as Given	356	(1)
Machismo!	357	(3)
Negotiation: In the Trenches	360	(15)
Goals	360	(1)
Attitude: Student or Samurai?	361	(3)
Initial Positions	364	(2)
The Process	366	(5)
Avoiding Nasty Ploys	371	(1)
Negotiation by Mail	372	(1)
Write the Agreement	373	(1)
Learn from Experience	374	(1)
Gloating	374	(1)
Negotiating Torts	375	(10)
Case Evaluation	376	(2)
The Curious Impact of Attorney Fees and Litigation Costs	378	(2)
Other Variables	380	(1)
On Philosophers and the Arrogance of the Living	381	(4)
Negotiating Deals	385	(10)
Essential Topics	385	(1)
Preparing to Negotiate a Deal	386	(3)
Negotiating the Deal	389	(2)
Drafting the Agreement	391	(2)
Drafting Contracts of Adhesion	393	(2)
Disputes About Deals	395	(10)
The Emotional Context	396	(3)
The Legal Context	399	(3)
The Negotiation Context	402	(3)
Epilogue: The Issue is Us	405	(8)
Index	413