The Criminal Trial Handbook

The Criminal Trial Handbook is a concise and practical treatise that sets forth the nuts and bolts of what every lawyer needs to know to competently and effectively try a criminal case. Designed for use by both prosecutors and defense attorneys, experienced and inexperienced, the handbook is compiled and written by a California Superior Court judge with nearly 30 years of courtroom experience. It follows the natural progression of a jury trial from the first day counsel arrive at the courtroom through the closing argument. At each stage of a trial, the applicable rules of courtroom procedure and evidence are explained. It covers common evidentiary trial issues, such as hearsay and character evidence, and includes the verbatim text for some of the most commonly used California Evidence Code sections and selected case law authorities. Topics covered include: * Pre-Trial Motions* Discovery* Jury Selection* Opening Statements and Closing Arguments* Direct Examination* Cross-Examination* Expert Witnesses* Hearsay * Character Evidence* Writings* Foundational Requirements for Evidence* Objections* DeliberationsIn addition, the handbook describes basic trial tactics, such as how to effectively cross-examine a witness, how to present evidence in the courtroom, and how to make persuasive opening statements or closing arguments. It also contains "Trial Tips," practical suggestions for the courtroom not ordinarily found in other legal treatises or law books. Although primarily geared towards criminal law, many of the trial procedures and tactics discussed are equally applicable in civil trials. The handbook is also a great resource for law students or anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of a criminal jury trial.

In The Right to Be Present at Trial in International Criminal Law Caleb H. Wheeler analyses how the right to be present is understood by international criminal courts and tribunals in the context of the right to a fair trial.

This student-friendly text, the only criminal procedure casebook authored by three female law professors of color (who also bring diverse criminal justice system experiences as a former prosecutor, private criminal defense attorney and public defender), highlights social justice issues intertwined with the law of criminal procedure, integrating issues of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation where relevant.

"So you want to be a trial lawyer. By reading this manual you have chosen not to fail. By choosing not to fail, you are seeing yourself as a trial lawyer. You have resolved to stand up for those whose light shines dim and whose voice is heard small. It is now time to get your head in the game. The ultimate goal in any trial is to win. You win by telling your client's story in such a way that it compels the jury to see and understand it and believe in it the same way you do. You accomplish that by establishing your credibility with the jury -- by loving your client, telling the truth and being real"--