19 07, 2014

Videos of Cross-Examinations

By |July 19th, 2014|Videos of Cross-Examinations|0 Comments

Yogi Berra is supposed to have said “You can observe a lot just by watching,” and that is not a bad method of learning the principles and techniques of cross-examination. You sometimes even learn more from watching a wretched cross-examination than you can from watching a brilliant one. Set forth below are videos of cross-examinations [...]

23 05, 2014

COLD READING TECHNIQUE FOR CROSS-EXAMINATION

By |May 23rd, 2014|Concession-Seeking Cross, Criminal Case - Cross-Examination|0 Comments

Years ago a friend of mine asked me (Bob Dekle) to watch a late night television show with him. In the show, a psychic summoned dead relatives from beyond the pale to talk to his guests. The show began with some appropriate music, a video of stars swirling in the galaxy, and a voice-over talking [...]

2 05, 2014

NEW CROSS-EXAMINATION TRAINING

By |May 2nd, 2014|Advanced Trial Advocacy Institute, Concession-Seeking Cross, Seattle University Law School|1 Comment

Coming Soon - Inaugural Advanced Trial Advocacy Institute – June 2 There will be a healthy dose of instruction on winning cross-examination strategies and techniques at the new week-long Advanced Trial Advocacy Institute (ATAI) that I and Professor Marilyn Berger are chairing. The course begins June 2, 2014. Seattle University Law School and the American [...]

2 05, 2014

NEW ADVANCED TRIAL ADVOCACY INSTITUTE

By |May 2nd, 2014|Advanced Trial Advocacy Institute, Seattle University Law School|1 Comment

Coming soon - June 2, 2014, Seattle University Law School and the American College of Trial Lawyers proudly begin the inaugural Advanced Trial Advocacy Institute (ATAI). This CLE program offers winning trial advocacy strategies and skills from preparation through closing argument. The Institute is designed to be the most comprehensive trial advocacy training program in [...]

20 04, 2014

SMOKE-AND-MIRRORS CROSS-EXAMINATION AND COURTROOM POSITIONING

By |April 20th, 2014|Concession-Seeking Cross, Courtroom Positioning, Smoke and Mirrors Cross, Your Chance to Testify|0 Comments

Where to StandRecently I (Bob Dekle) had my class doing practical exercises on concession-seeking cross-examination. See Cross-Examination Handbook for a discussion of the concession-seeking method.  Since we were in a mock courtroom, the non-performing students played the role of jurors and the witness took the witness stand. The first performer asked me if she should [...]

10 04, 2014

LINCOLN USED CONCESSION-SEEKING CROSS-EXAMINATION

By |April 10th, 2014|Concession-Seeking Cross, Contradiction Technique of Cross-Examination, Lincoln, Lincoln Lawyer|0 Comments

The Crafton Murder Trial Cross-ExaminationAbraham Lincoln’s fame as a cross-examiner rests in large part on his decisive use of an almanac to discredit a witness in what history remembers as the Almanac Trial. If we dig into the history books, we can find much better support for the proposition that he was an excellent cross-examiner. [...]

10 04, 2014

MOTION ARGUMENT PREPARATION

By |April 10th, 2014|Motions, Seattle University Law School, teaching techniques|0 Comments

If you are unprepared to argue a motion, it shows. This was the take away that a significant number of my Seattle University law students noted in their reports on watching motions arguments in both state and federal court. I require that my Comprehensive Pretrial students attend a motion hearing and then write a report [...]

7 04, 2014

PRETRIAL & TRIAL ADVOCACY: GET THEM OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

By |April 7th, 2014|Motions, Pretrial Tips, Scene Visit, Seattle University Law School, teaching techniques|8 Comments

When teaching pretrial or trial advocacy, it is important to get the law students out of the classroom to experience the real life of a trial lawyer. For my Comprehensive Pretrial Advocacy course, the students have a minimum of three experiences outside the classroom. First, we go to the scene – the Garage tavern (the [...]

24 03, 2014

CROSS-EXAMINATION IN KOSOVO

By |March 24th, 2014|Kosovo, Trial Advocacy: Assignments and Case Files|0 Comments

Introducing Cross-Examination in KosovoFor the past week, I (Ron) have been in Pristina, Kosovo teaching trial advocacy, including, of course, cross-examination. The U.S. Department of Justice offered this advocacy training as part of Kosovo’s effort to implement the rule of law. Kosovo is the world’s newest nation, having declared its independence in 2008. The population [...]

24 03, 2014

TRIAL ADVOCACY IN KOSOVO

By |March 24th, 2014|Kosovo, teaching techniques, trial, Trial Advocacy: Assignments and Case Files|0 Comments

Advancing JusticeFor the past week, I have been in Pristina, Kosovo teaching trial advocacy. The U.S. Department of Justice offered this advocacy training as part of Kosovo’s effort to implement the rule of law. Kosovo is the world’s newest nation, having declared its independence in 2008. The population of Kosovo is approximately 1.8 million. The [...]

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