South Texas Law School
Houston Texas

Last week I spoke on “Great Cross-Examinations and Techniques” at the 2018 Hurricane Harvey Regional Training conducted by the Texas District and County Attorneys Association. My half-day presentations were at Victoria College in Victoria, Texas on June 6; South Texas College of Law in Houston on June 7; and the Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont on June 8.

The Hurricane Harvey Regional Training program was developed because hurricane Harvey devastated much of the Texas coast from Corpus Christi to Beaumont, and had a severe economic impact, which prevented prosecutors and their investigators from attending past continuing legal education courses. The Texas District and County Attorneys Association developed the Regional Training program to meet the need for this overdue training. It was a joy to make these presentations for such a worthy cause.
Great cross-examinations in history and on film can teach great trial techniques. They provide lessons in what works in a courtroom and what doesn’t.  With the aid of famous movie clips of cross-examinations and actual crosses in legendary trials, the presentation explores the best in cross-examination skills and strategies. 
Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont Texas

This “Great Cross-Examinations & Techniques” covers:
  • How to identify and select the content for a winning cross
  • Techniques for controlling evasive and other difficult witnesses
  • Methods for constructing a persuasive, storytelling cross
  • How to successfully cross-examine expert witnesses
  • Construction cross-examinations
  • Demolition cross-examinations
  • Character and conduct of the effective cross-examiner
  • Crosses in historical trials – O. J. Simpson, Scopes, McMartin Preschool, Zacarias Maussaoui trials among others
  • Memorable, instructional movie cross-examinations from Anatomy of a Murder to the Case against 8 documentary.