Here are a
couple reviews of the new edition:
Ethan Morris
reviewed the second edition in this way:
This book
really should be called The Cross-Examination Bible. Clark, Dekle and Bailey
have done the heavy lifting, amassing the best strategies and techniques for
any trial lawyer or student.
First and foremost, don’t be fooled by the name. This book teaches so much more than just how to question a witness on the stand—including the fundamentals of building a case theory, and turning it into a story that will resonate with a jury. In terms of cross-examination, no stone is left unturned. This book breaks it down, showing how to identify the purpose of a cross, preparing questions, and executing it effectively for the jury. Every technique is illustrated with real-life examples from masters such as Clarence Darrow, F. Lee Bailey, and Abraham Lincoln, through transcripts of some of their most famous trials.
I found the section on finding and using social media materials to impeach witnesses particularly illuminating, given how prolific people’s “digital” lives are becoming. This edition also features a great new section on visual storytelling, something that can make or break a case, including when and how to use photos, computer animations, charts or graphs.
In law school, I was an avid mock trial competitor. Oh that I wish I’d had this book then! As a new attorney starting my career in trial work, the Cross-Examination Handbook is one of the few textbooks that not only will I keep, but will refer to again and again.
First and foremost, don’t be fooled by the name. This book teaches so much more than just how to question a witness on the stand—including the fundamentals of building a case theory, and turning it into a story that will resonate with a jury. In terms of cross-examination, no stone is left unturned. This book breaks it down, showing how to identify the purpose of a cross, preparing questions, and executing it effectively for the jury. Every technique is illustrated with real-life examples from masters such as Clarence Darrow, F. Lee Bailey, and Abraham Lincoln, through transcripts of some of their most famous trials.
I found the section on finding and using social media materials to impeach witnesses particularly illuminating, given how prolific people’s “digital” lives are becoming. This edition also features a great new section on visual storytelling, something that can make or break a case, including when and how to use photos, computer animations, charts or graphs.
In law school, I was an avid mock trial competitor. Oh that I wish I’d had this book then! As a new attorney starting my career in trial work, the Cross-Examination Handbook is one of the few textbooks that not only will I keep, but will refer to again and again.
Stuart Stringer
offered this review:
Cross-examination
is a critical part of litigation practice and often can be daunting to prepare
for. For me the great challenge of preparing for cross-examination lies in the
fact that testimony and witnesses can be so unpredictable. The Cross-Examination
Handbook does a great job of breaking down, preparing and building strategies
for dealing with the unpredictability of testimony. This book is all about
thorough, detailed and careful preparation, preparation that leads to success
in the courtroom. The Cross-Examination Handbook is a tool that I have found
incredibly powerful for my practice.
