Trial Practice
The new AMTA Rules of Evidence have been posted
here. The thread discussing it at Perjuries.com can be found
here.
From
AMTA:
A substantial change has been made to a portion of the Midlands Rules of Court. As of August 15th, the Midlands Rules of Evidence will have been extensively revised. Programs should be aware that the 2003/2004 Midlands Rules of Evidence which will be available on the AMTA Website on August 15th will be the official Rules of Evidence for all AMTA-sanctioned events and prior years' rules are both significantly different from and preempted by the 2003/2004 Midlands Rules of Evidence. Other minor changes to the Rules of Court have also occurred and as such, programs are advised to download the entirety of the Rules of Court as of the 15th of August.
[real trial]
Looking for an expert? Look no
further.
[forensics]
Everything you ever wanted to know about
forensics. And if you happen to work in law enforcement you get to have the
FBI analyze your evidence for you with some
limitations.
[law student trial advocacy scholarship]
Turn that interest in trial advocacy into a $2,500
scholarship from
ATLA.
[criminal trial advocacy]
The
Center for Criminal Justice Advocacy has a wealth of information on how to prepare and present a criminal case for trial.
[law school mock trial]
Check out the
web page for the National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition at
John Marshall Law School in the
windy city.
[jack walraven's best of the sidebars]
Check out this
collection of transcript excerpts from sidebars in the O.J. Simpson criminal trial. Sounds like they could have come out of any mock trial competition (except of course that sidebars aren't allowed):
Judge Ito: We are over at sidebar.
Ms. Clark: I was just wondering why counsel feels the need to stand within 10 inches of me while I'm doing this questioning.
Judge Ito: Because he needs to be able to see the chart.
Mr. Cochran: I can't see the chart.
Ms. Clark: How about if I turn it, have it --
Mr. Cochran: I still can't see it over there.
Ms. Clark: It's a very simple chart, your Honor, and I know that counsel has seen quite a lot of it in great detail.
Judge Ito: No. But he needs to see what the witness is pointing to.
Ms. Clark: He's not pointing to anything.
Judge Ito: Well, we don't --
Mr. Cochran: How do I know that?
Judge Ito: See, Marcia, it's a bad angle. It's just a bad angle.
Ms. Clark: If I turned it --
Mr. Cochran: I haven't seen half of these things. I have no idea what you are talking about half the time. Of course, I'm not the one that has to be able to see what you are talking about.
Ms. Clark: I agree if I tilt it so that counsel can see it from counsel table, perhaps he can get --
Judge Ito: Then the jury is not going to be able to see it.
Ms. Clark: Actually --
Mr. Cochran: I'm not bothering her. I'm standing behind her.
Judge Ito: I know. He's not saying anything. He's not putting rabbit ears behind your head or anything.
Ms. Clark: I never know when he will, your Honor.
Mr. Cochran: I didn't do that. I'm standing there not talking.
Judge Ito: He's entitled to see what it is you are doing.
Ms. Clark: Okay.
-- February 9, 1995
[evidence]
What's wrong with character evidence?
Peter Tillers tell you
here. For more on evidence see
The Virtual Law Library Also see Jason Leung on evidence
here. In fact, why not just check out Peter Tillers link page of interesting evidence sites
here.
[fighting with your hands tied behind your back]
Would you volunteer to defend someone in a forum you believed to be unfair or protest by refusing to participate? Interesting article about the legal representation afforded to military detainees
here
[demonstrative evidence]
Want to blow some cash on a fancy
demonstrative? Look no
further.
[sandbagging]
n. A trial lawyer's remaining cagily silent when a possible error occurs at trial, with the hope of preserving an issue for appeal if the court does not correct the problem. Such a tactic does not usuualy preserve the issue for appeal because objections must be promptly made to alert the trial judge of the possible error. Black's Law Dictionary.
[braddy from the bloch]
The venerable
Brad Bloch reports back from the
AMTA board meeting
here.
[amta 2003-2004 case update]
AMTA has posted the case summery for this upcomming years case, STATE OF MIDLANDS v. MICHAEL W. HARMON:
"Tony Sturmanis was a rising star in the world of professional hockey. Tragically, he was killed during a playoff game in Midlands City following a fight with Michael Harmon. Harmon was later indicted on three counts of homicide. His wife, Victoria, had recently been romantically linked to Sturmanis. Also, Harmon lost a lucrative contract to Sturmanis just hours before the confrontation during the game."
The Witnesses are:
Lt. Pat Bivens,
Detective, Midlands City Police Department
Jean-Marie Baptiste,
Professional Hockey Referee
Michael W. Harmon (must be played as a male),
Professional Hockey Player, Defendant
Victoria Harmon (must be played as a female),
Professional Hairdresser and Hammer’s former spouse
Topaz Cash,
Sports Agent
Dr. Dana Quincy, Midlands
Pathologist
Dr. Tracy Carver,
Neurologist
Dr. J.P. Boyd,
Owner of Midlands City Marauders Hockey Team
[some publications]
American Journal of Trial Advocacy
here.
Argumentation and Advocacy
here .
Journal of Appellate Practice & Process
here.
Suffolk Journal of Trial & Appellate Advocacy
here.
[some mock trial websites]
For undergraduate mock trial check out the American Mock Trial Association
(AMTA). Also for a community website dedicated to AMTA competitions check out
Perjuries .
For law school mock trial check out the American Trial Lawyer's Association (
ATLA) competition
here. For information about the Texas Young Lawyer's Assocation (
TYLA)competition go
here.
For real world mock trial go
here.
[hello world]
Welcome to Trial Practice, a blog dedicated to trial advocacy.