Direct Examination Lawyers for the plaintiff or the government begin the presentation of evidence by calling witnesses. The questions they ask of the witnesses are direct examination. Direct examination may elicit both […]
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Cross-Examination When the lawyer for the plaintiff or the government has finished questioning a witness, the lawyer for the defendant may then cross-examine the witness. Cross-examination is generally limited to
Motion for Directed Verdict/Dismissal At the conclusion of the plaintiff’s or government’s evidence, the lawyer will announce that the plaintiff or government rests. Then, when the jury leaves the courtroom,
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Presentation of Evidence by the Defense The defense lawyer may choose not to present evidence, in the belief that the plaintiff or government did not prove its case. Usually, however,
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Final Motions After all the evidence has been presented and the jury has left the courtroom, either side may move for a directed verdict. If the motion is granted the
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Instructions to the Jury The judge instructs the jury about the relevant laws that should guide its deliberations. (In some jurisdictions, the court may instruct the jury at any time
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Mistrials Mistrials are trials that are not successfully completed. They’re terminated and declared void before the jury returns a verdict or the judge renders his or her decision in a
Outside of television shows or movies, you may have no knowledge of what lawyers are or what they do. While fictional depictions can be helpful, they are not always accurate. The following are a few commonly asked questions about lawyers.
Some problems are not really legal—or are not exclusively legal—and can be handled, at least in part, with the help of psychologists, the clergy or other counselors. But many problems do have a legal dimension and require a lawyer’s help. The following questions and answers provide guidance.
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Most people don’t have a “regular” lawyer, in the sense that they have one or more doctors that they see at least annually. So how do you find the lawyer who’s right for you? Where do you turn for recommendations?
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