Category Archives: Exhibits

What To Do When You Know the Jury Will Play With the Evidence.

21 Tuesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Evidence, Exhibits, Jury Persuasion, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Expect Jurors to Climb into the Cooler, by Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm, Persuasive Litigator™

http://bit.ly/2zXlFCX

Jurors, for the most part, take their job seriously. They want to do the right thing and do a good job. Regardless of whether you parade a cadre of expert witnesses in front of them, if your case hinges on how something works, the jury will want to try it out for themselves.

When you display a key piece of evidence in the courtroom throughout the trial, anticipate that the jurors will want to experiment with it when they adjourn to jury room. Dr. Broda-Bahm explains how to use the jurors’ natural curiosity to your advantage. -CCE

Great Illustration and Explanation – What The Best Evidence Rule Is and What It is Not.

27 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in Admissibility, Best Evidence Rule, Evidence, Exhibits, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Understanding The Best Evidence Rule, by Judge Larry Primeaux, Better Chancery Blog

https://chancery12.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/understanding-the-best-evidence-rule/

I would nominate MRE 1002 for second-most misunderstood rule of evidence (the all-time front-runner, without peer, would be the hearsay rule). . . .

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Depo Prep – Is Less Really More?

29 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Exhibits, Graphics, Legal Technology, Presentations, Trial Tips and Techniques, Witness Preparation, Witnesses

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Less is More When Preparing Witnesses for Deposition, by Thomas M. O’Toole, Ph.D., Sound Jury Blog

http://soundjuryconsulting.com/blog/2015/07/15/less-is-more-when-preparing-witnesses-for-deposition/

There is a popular 3M study that is often used to support the argument that attorneys should utilize more graphics in trial. The study found that audience members retained as little as 10% of the information three days later if the presentation was oral only; however, when presented the same information through both oral and visual presentation, the retention rate jumped to 65%. While this study is most often used to support the argument that presentations need a visual component, its implications can be applied to other areas of litigation. . . .

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Litigator’s Honey Pot – Top 9 Recent Litigation Posts From Ken Lopez.

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Exhibits, Jury Persuasion, Jury Selection, Litigation, Opening Argument, Technology, Timelines, Trial Tips and Techniques, Voir Dire

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Top 9 Litigation Consulting Articles from Q2-2015, posted by Ken Lopez, The A2L’s Litigation Consulting Report Blog

http://tinyurl.com/ob6ma8g

What luck! Ken Lopez kindly has gathered 9 of his recent top posts. There’s a little something for anyone who practices litigation – voir dire and jury selection, trial graphics, persuasive opening arguments, a discussion of the Reptile Trial Strategy, and more. Thank you, Ken! -CCE

It’s been another great quarter of publishing blog articles on A2L’s Litigation Consulting Report Blog. . . . Since we post 2-3 articles every week, I’ve heard from our readers that it is sometimes hard to keep up with the latest articles. To help remedy that and organize the information better, roughly six times a year we publish a mini-retrospective at the end of the quarter, at the end of a year and/or to celebrate blogging milestones.

This quarter, I’m listing the top nine articles from April, May and June of 2015 reverse sorted by the number of times each article was read. This way, this list serves as an excellent reader-curated guide to the very best articles we have published recently. . . .

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Top Ten Checklist For Reviewing Discovery.

02 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Discovery, Exhibits, Federal Rules of Discovery, Interrogatories, Requests for Admissions, Requests for Production, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Top Ten Things To Do With Discovery Responses, by Carol Treasure, RN, PhD, JD, Cooper & Scully, P.C., The Bar Association of San Francisco

http://www.sfbar.org/basf-bulletin/2012/dec-2012/discovery-responses.aspx

Attorneys expend tremendous effort drafting interrogatories and requests for admissions or documents. Having a checklist will assist you when reviewing the discovery responses. Below is a list of ten things you can do with discovery responses which can save you time and help with case management. . . .

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“How To” On Preparing And Using Timelines In Court.

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in Exhibits, Jury Persuasion, Timelines, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Timelines: The Jury’s Roadmap to Your Case, by Adam Bloomberg, Director, Visual Communications, Litigation Insights Blog

http://www.litigationinsights.com/trial-graphics/timelines-jury-roadmap/

You and your attorney have worked on this complicated case for months – maybe years. You both know every nuance and the meaning of every exhibit and which witness will say what. To you, it all makes sense but you have had months to learn all about the case.

The jury does not have that luxury – they have to “get it” and absorb all the evidence and testimony from both sides presenting the case. You and your attorney are positive that, if only the jury understands your client’s case, it will return a verdict in your client’s favor.

Some people are more visual than auditory. Would a timeline as part of your trial presentation help the jury understand the details it took you months to piece together? Maybe – read this and then decide whether this tool would indeed work as a jury’s roadmap to navigate the intricacies of your case. -CCE

‘You can’t miss this event!’ your friend exclaims. ’It’s simple. The event is on the left-hand side of the street, two blocks down Lincoln Avenue. You’ll hang a right onto Third, before the gas station. Third is a few miles straight ahead once you exit – when you’re on the freeway, just keep your eyes open for exit 42. Alright, then just continue down Third for a few blocks and hang another right on Lincoln. Don’t forget to grab a bottle of wine, too…. There should be a supermarket near the freeway entrance.’

Confused? Tempted to skip the event and stay home for the evening?

Then consider how a jury must feel when a complicated story gets told in bits and pieces, out of order, and is still expected to find its way to the proper destination (i.e., a verdict for your client). Now include a second attorney who provides a different set of directions altogether!

Timelines, by nature, are often the perfect graphic to solve this problem. They’re the jury’s navigation app. That may be why they’re the most widely used trial graphic of the last 20 years. . . .

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Hey Jurors — Look This Way!

30 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in Exhibits, Jury Persuasion, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Simple Jury Persuasion: “Hey, Look Over Here For A Second!” posted by Douglas Keene, The Jury Room Blog

http://tinyurl.com/p83amyh

This is sort of scary research. We all like to think our views on moral issues are pretty consistent and not easily shaken. That would be incorrect. They are not consistent and they are easily shaken. At least these are the conclusions reached by this research.

We’ve written before about on which side of the courtroom you want to place your exhibits (it’s on the left), but this is far above and beyond that. According to these researchers, you can actually change someone’s mind about an ethical issue by where you have them looking. And, this is the worst part: it takes less than a second! Here is what they did. . . .

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Cool Tip – How To Re-Number Your Exhibits’ Bates Stamps For Trial.

23 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Adobe Acrobat, Bates Numbers, Exhibits, Legal Technology, Trial Notebooks, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Trial Tech Tips – TrialDirector Bates Numbering, by Ted Brooks, Court Technology and Trial Presentation Blawg  

http://tinyurl.com/ok53uvl

This tip is one of the best ways to use Adobe Acrobat’s Bates-numbering feature. Not to take away from TrialDirector, but you can do this entirely with Adobe Acrobat. It is fast and easy. If you have not tried it, I strongly encourage it. Mr. Brooks’ post will explain why. -CCE

This article is the first in a series entitled ‘Trial Tech Tips.’ Focused on the crossroads of law and technology, and in no particular order, we will share a collection of proven and tested methods for accomplishing a wide variety of common and/or critical tasks encountered during trial preparation or presentation. We will also try to rank them from one to ten on a ‘geek scale,’ with one being not too technical, and 10 being very technical.

On a geek scale of one to ten, this article would be rated at about an 8.

In litigation, it is generally a good idea to make sure that when a certain document is referred to, it is that exact document, and not another version of the same. In situations where there are more than one, and it can be proven, it can result in an interesting trial.

Bates numbering has been around for some time, and is one good method of making sure that everyone is on the same page – literally. Through the years, inked stamps have been used, printed stickers, and nowadays the method most commonly used adds them via software – generally in the lower right corner of each page. Although the most efficient methods can handle a large volume all in one operation, this can also be done at the individual document level.

There are many reasons for adding a Bates number to your exhibits, and there are many for adding yet another Bates number. For instance, if your exhibits have already been numbered according to document productions, it may be helpful to add another set of numbering tied to trial exhibit numbers. This makes it easier for counsel, judges, witnesses and jurors to quickly get to any given exhibit page. Rather than having some lengthy production-based Bates number (e.g., PLTF000024) that may or may not be followed by its next numerical page (PLTF000025) when used in a trial exhibit, we can simply make reference to the trial exhibit and page number (e.g., 0178-002 would be trial exhibit 178, page 2). . . .[Emphasis added.]

Basic Evidence Presentation Tips For Young Lawyers.

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Admissibility, Authentication, Evidence, Exhibits, Legal Technology, Presentations, Trial Tips and Techniques, Video

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Letter To Young Lawyers—Basic Tips And Presentation Of Evidence, by Hon. E. Kenneth Wright Jr.,YLD News, Illinois State Bar Association™, Vol. 55, No. 1 (August 2010)

Dear Attorney Jane Doe and Attorney John Doe:

As a young lawyer, you are in a place that I left some time ago. However, I have watched you step into jury courtrooms with a level of anticipation and excitement that is refreshing. While a few of you mask it well, I know there is also some anxiety lurking in the background. Don’t worry, because that anxiety strikes even the most seasoned litigators. Now I sit on the bench, and I sometimes wish I could call a time out during the trial to share with you some simple tips that will put you more at ease as you proceed with your case.

Being a member of the judiciary is an honor that comes with extraordinary powers and responsibilities. These powers do not include a coach’s ability to call for substitution of players, so in this note I want to briefly address some basic practical pointers to improve your overall practice as well as touch upon the specific issue of presentation of evidence to a jury. I hope by doing so I give you peace of mind and contribute, in a small way, to your growth as a fine attorney.

Basic Pointers

How quickly you acclimate yourself to courtroom practice depends in large part on you, your learning style, and how many opportunities you have to appear before the court. In the beginning, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of items you must remember, track and recall at a moment’s notice. In your haste, you may overlook a few very basic points that can actually help you. . . .

Trial Tips For Paralegals.

20 Saturday Sep 2014

Posted by in Exhibits, Paralegals/Legal Assistants, Trial Notebooks, Trial Tips and Techniques

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A Paralegal’s Guide to Preparing for a Civil Trial, by Betsy Horn, CLA, Texas Paralegal Journal (Summer 1997), ©1997 Legal Assistants Division, State Bar of Texas

http://txpd.org/TPJ/08/horn.html

Do not let the date give you the notion that there’s nothing here worth your attention. Ms. Horn’s article and checklist is invaluable for any paralegal preparing for, or assisting, at trial. Although trial technology and the tools you use may have changed, the common sense and advice in this article is just as true today as in 1997.

Regardless of whether you live in Texas, please don’t ignore the Texas Paralegal Journal. As you can see, it’s been going strong for a long time. I strongly recommend that you look at the Journal’s web page, http://txpd.org/TPJ/75/default.asp. Now that you’ve found it, stay a while. Click on TLJ Online. There is a wealth of information there, just waiting to be plucked. -CCE

How To Make a Timeline Exhibit Using Microsoft Excel.

04 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by in Excel, Exhibits, Legal Technology, Microsoft Office, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Creating A Custom Timeline In Excel, by Deborah Savadra, Legal Office Guru Blog

http://legalofficeguru.com/custom-timeline-in-excel/

If you do not have special litigation software and need to create a timeline exhibit for your case, hang on to this post. It will come in handy, as will the Legal Office Guru Blog.  If you cannot find what you need there, try the Addictive Tips Blog – another good “how to” resource. -CCE

How Graphics Were Used In Historic Copyright Case.

22 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Closing Argument, Copyright, Exhibits, Intellectual Property, Legal Technology, Opening Argument, Oral Argument, Technology, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Graphics for a Historic Copyright Case, by Michael Kelleher, Consent Legal Blog

http://tinyurl.com/q6oa8rt

As you prepare for oral argument in an important hearing, you may realize that you need quick help to create or revise graphics. Today’s blog post comes from this type of scenario, and it has the added interest of coming from a high-profile copyright dispute pending in the Supreme Court. . . .

 

Tech Tips for Document Review, Production, and Trial.

15 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Discovery, Document Review, Exhibits, Legal Technology, Requests for Production, Subpoena Duces Tecum, Technology, Trial Tips and Techniques

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5 Tech Tips for Document Review, Production and Use at Trial, by Michael Kelleher, Cogent Legal Blog

http://tinyurl.com/kv3jy3f

Mr. Kelleher not only shares the technology tips from his recent webinar, but is kind enough to offer his e-mail address and telephone number should you have any questions. Nice guy! -CCE

On Wednesday, April 9, I gave a webinar on technology tips for document review, production and use at trial for the Law Practice Management and Technology Section of the California State Bar. We’re going to be posting a few of the tips on the blog if you missed the webinar. You can also download a PDF of the slide deck with all 25 tech tips here. I hope that these tips save you some time. Email me (michael.kelleher@cogentlegal.com) or give me a call at 510-350-7616 if you have questions about this or any other aspect of litigation technology. . . .

Using Animation At Trial.

12 Saturday Apr 2014

Posted by in Evidence, Exhibits, Jury Persuasion, Legal Technology, Litigation, Presentations, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Animate: Give Your Jurors Three Dimensions, or More, by Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm, The Persasive Litigator

http://tinyurl.com/m75du78

[I]In trial, we know that demonstrative exhibits are often seen as playing a secondary role: second to evidence and second to the verbal explanation. The higher-end animations, however, are often an even more distant second (or third, or fourth) to exhibits that can be created more simply or more cheaply. Understanding that not all, or even most, cases will be able to afford or to merit the higher-end demonstrative animations, it is still worth it to pay attention to the state of the art and to think about how this technology can be brought to bear when it matters most. The good news is that creating sophisticated graphics is easier and cheaper than it has ever been before. Laptops now surpass what the best production workstations could have created in earlier times. A skilled computer animator can take an idea from design to execution in less time and expense than you might think. . . .

Like Us, Judges and Juries Get the “Munchies.”

08 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by in Appellate Judges, Closing Argument, Cross-Examination, Defense Counsel, Direct Examination, Exhibits, Experts, Federal Judges, Judges, Jury Persuasion, Law Clerks, Litigation, Making Objections, Opening Argument, Oral Argument, Plaintiff's Counsel, Trial Tips and Techniques, Voir Dire, Witnesses

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Time Your Arguments to the Judge’s Lunch Breaks (and Adapt to All Decision Makers’ “Cognitive Load”), by  Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm, Persuasive Litigator  Blog

http://tinyurl.com/lebleml

It comes as no surprise that a hungry person, be it the judge or members of a jury, find it difficult to concentrate and focus on your client’s case. Long stretches of testimony and argument are hard enough to follow, especially if the case is complex with numerous exhibits and witnesses. Regardless how comfortable the chair, sitting for long periods trying to listen carefully to a case is hard work.

There is more than one way to consider your audience at a trial or hearing. Persuasive argument is one. Excellent trial preparation using technology is another. Considerate and well-timed rest and meal breaks are another tool that can be used to your advantage.

The Rocket Science Blog mentioned in this post can be found at http://tinyurl.com/3dg5e8n. – CCE

Anyone who argues in front of judges knows that human factors can weigh as heavily as the law in determining your judge’s decisions.  But it is still possible at times to be surprised at the degree of influence, as well as the banality of those human factors.  Case in point: lunch and snack breaks.  Recent research discussed in the excellent Not Exactly Rocket Science blog appears to show that judges’ decisions vary as a direct effect of the proximity of their morning snack or lunch break.  In case you are using your morning break or lunch hour to read this post, I’d like to make it worth your while by applying the study findings to the more general issue of your decision-makers’ mental work load and offering some recommendations for anyone who needs to make arguments to a potentially fatigued audience. . . .

Craig Ball On Being A Digital Forensic Witness.

03 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in Affidavits, Cross-Examination, Depositions, Direct Examination, Discovery, E-Discovery, Evidence, Exhibits, Expert Witness Report, Expert Witnesses, Experts, Forensic Expert Witness, Hearsay, Legal Technology, Legal Writing, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Becoming a Better Digital Forensics Witness, by Craig Ball, Ball In Your Court Blog

 http://tinyurl.com/kgm8epj

I love to testify—in court, at deposition, in declarations and affidavits—and I even like writing reports about my findings in forensic exams.

I love the challenge—the chance to mix it up with skilled interrogators, defend my opinions and help the decision makers hear what the electronic evidence tells us.  There is a compelling human drama being played out in those bits and bytes, and computer forensic examiners are the fortunate few who get to tell the story.  It’s our privilege to help the finders of fact understand the digital evidence.[1]

This post is written for computer forensic examiners and outlines ways to become a more effective witness and common pitfalls you can avoid.  But the advice offered applies as well to almost anyone who takes the stand. . . .

. . .

Lawyers — First Impressions Stick!

02 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by in Closing Argument, Cross-Examination, Direct Examination, Exhibits, Experts, Jury Persuasion, Jury Selection, Litigation, Making Objections, Mock Trials, Opening Argument, Plaintiff's Counsel, Trial Tips and Techniques, Voir Dire, Witnesses

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Expect First Impressions to be Carved in Stone, by Dr. Ken Broda-Bahm, Persuasive Litigator Blog

http://tinyurl.com/org7why

Please note additional links on first impressions, overcoming bad impressions, and using visual images to create a first impression at the bottom of this post at the Persuasive Litigator website. -CCE

We’ve all heard the old saying: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. It is true that when meeting someone new, our brain is quickly putting them into a number of categories. Their background, intelligence, friendliness, attitudes, trustworthiness, and a myriad of other aspects of character are all on their way to being locked into some pretty durable assumptions. In a legal setting, where a juror is reacting to a witness on the stand for example, we might want those credibility determinations to be made over time, informed by the full scope of the testimony. But don’t count on it. . . . 

More On Why Lawsuits Are So Expensive.

22 Saturday Feb 2014

Posted by in Cross-Examination, Damages, Exhibits, Experts, Litigation, Motor Vehicle, Personal Injury, Plaintiff's Counsel, Product Liability, Trial Tips and Techniques, Video Deposition, Witnesses

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Why Lawsuits Are So Expensive, Pt. II, by Gregory H. Haubrich, Foshee & Yafee, Butter’s Blog

http://greghaubrich.com/2014/02/13/why-lawsuits-are-so-expensive-pt-ii/

In my previous edition of Butter’s Blog, Part I explored why lawsuits are so expensive. In Part II, we are going to break down the costs of getting your case to trial. To get a rough estimate of what your law firm may spend handling the case,  we must first look at what kind of case it is.

Use Requests for Admission For Authentication of Trial Exhibits.

17 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by in Discovery, Exhibits, Requests for Admissions, Trial Tips and Techniques

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Using Requests for Admission to Simplify Your Case, by Evan Schaeffer, The Trial Practice Tips Blog

http://tinyurl.com/m3y82eq

I have never understood why this is not used more frequently. It saves time and aggravation for the parties and the court, especially if you want an exhibit to be part of the record. – CCE