The purpose of the closing argument is to incite jurors or a judge to render the decision you request. It is not about impressing listeners with your eloquence. According to the apocryphal tale, when listeners heard Demosthenes, they would remark, ...

Tagged with: closing arguments Paul Mark Sandler

Many of us spend significant time in our daily lives attempting to convince others to “see it our way.” Often these efforts are in a courtroom, boardroom, office, or with family and friends. The secret to succeeding in these persuasive ...

Tagged with: Paul Mark Sandler

It appears that this remarkable trial lawyer, noted for his mesmerizing eloquence in court and for defending controversial individuals, may have bribed two prospective jurors in the so-called McNamara case. Clarence Darrow denied this officially, but on occasion inferred the ...

Tagged with: Paul Mark Sandler

The growth of our common law evolves on a case-by-case basis, beginning in the Middle Ages during the time of Henry II in the 1160s.  The king created the King’s Bench, a circuit of judges known as the Assizes. They ...

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Life among government leaders in Washington, D.C., in the mid-1800s was hectic during the days and a whirlwind of social activities at night. Debates in Congress were rough then, as they are today. But in the evenings, disputes were put ...

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The theoretical purpose of the opening statement is to present to the judge or jury the evidence you plan to present during the trial. All this, but without arguing. Argument is reserved for closing, after the evidence has been presented ...

Tagged with: Paul Mark Sandler

If you were presenting expert testimony pursuant to Md. Rule 5-702 before the landmark opinion Rochkind v. Stevenson, 471 Md. 1 (2020), you were proceeding under the Frye-Reed standard for admissibility of scientific evidence. (The opinion must be generally accepted ...

Tagged with: Paul Mark Sandler

Direct examination is the heart of the trial. It is also your greatest challenge. You must avoid leading questions used in cross-examination, and ask open-ended questions, meaning that unlike other parts of the trial, you have no control. The interchange ...

Tagged with: Paul Mark Sandler

Certainly,  one of the most fascinating and revered Americans in history is Abraham Lincoln. However, not everyone knows that Lincoln was a brilliant trial lawyer. He tried scores of trials, and was highly sought after by clients. Judge Lawrence Weldon (1829-1905), ...

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Luther Martin (1748-1826) was one of the most distinguished lawyers in Maryland history and among the most distinguished lawyers in U.S. history. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, in his book “Grand Inquests: The Historic Impeachments of Justice Samuel Chase and ...

Tagged with: Paul Mark Sandler