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Full-Text Articles in Courts
Civil Justice Reform Symposium: Introduction, James F. Hogg
Civil Justice Reform Symposium: Introduction, James F. Hogg
Faculty Scholarship
Many people in the United States are not happy about the way in which litigation proceeds. In a country sometimes thought to be overpopulated with lawyers, either one party or both parties in a significant percentage of civil cases apparently cannot afford, or decline to retain, legal counsel. Financing for legal aid seems to be less than adequate, pro bono services are helping to some extent, but the administration of civil justice is in danger of sinking in the swamp of pro se ("do-it-yourself') litigation. The articles in this symposium discuss ideas for reform, such as introductory resources directed at …
Court Trial Empirical Survey: Interview Responses From Trial Judges Explaining Their Experiences And Views Regarding The Trial Of Non-Jury Cases, John O. Sonsteng, Roger S. Haydock
Court Trial Empirical Survey: Interview Responses From Trial Judges Explaining Their Experiences And Views Regarding The Trial Of Non-Jury Cases, John O. Sonsteng, Roger S. Haydock
Faculty Scholarship
Knowing how a judge will react to certain trial techniques in a trial can greatly enhance an attorney's effectiveness in the courtroom. This article contains and explains the results of the authors' empirical survey. Fifty-nine judges serving in both criminal and civil court in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were surveyed, with each judge responding to thirty-eight questions designed to obtain objective information concerning their experiences and views on effective trial advocacy. The survey covered eight topics: (1) trial briefs; (2) pretrial chambers discussions; (3) opening statements; (4) direct and cross-examinations; (5) evidentiary matters; (6) closing arguments; (7) findings of fact …