Articles

"Be sincere, Be Brief, Be seated.

— Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Too often in jury trials, attorneys mistakenly think getting evidence admitted is a dry and mechanical process separate and apart from the task of persuasion. Closing argument, the theory goes, is when it will all come together. Experienced trial lawyers know how misguided this approach can be. They understand that every stage of trial should have the same objective: to argue your case to the jury. 

One of the most...

Referring to the "best evidence rule" in California litigation is a little like calling The Cosby Show the most family-friendly option on television. While there was a time that such assertions were valid, saying so today just sounds uninformed and out of touch. The best evidence rule ended up having so many exceptions that it was abrogated and replaced by the "secondary evidence rule," codified in California Evidence Code section 1521, et seq. The vast majority of...