Trial Strategy Quotes

Yeah, I lost court cases and misdemeanor juries, but of felony jury trials I was successful 105 of 106 times.

In representing criminal defendants—especially guilty ones—it is often necessary to take the offensive against the government: to put the government on trial for its misconduct.

I think either Robert Blake wither pulled the trigger or hired someone to do it, but it will be a tough case to prove. I think there's a very good chance he may take the stand, and that's what I'm waiting for.

I was a defense attorney before I was a prosecutor, and so knowing what the defense is going to try to do is something that you have to do constantly when you're in trial. I always went to trial knowing what they were doing. So I was always in both mindsets anyway. 'Oh, they're going to do this, then I'm going to do that.'

When you see a lawyer trying to pick a smart jury, you know he's got a strong case.

Preparation is the be-all of good trial work. Everything else - felicity of expression, improvisational brilliance - is a satellite around the sun. Thorough preparation is that sun.

All sides in a trial want to hide at least some of the truth.

Never, never, never on cross-examination ask a witness a question you don't already know the answer to, was a tenet I absorbed with my baby food. Do it, and you'll often get an answer you don't want.

One lawyer told me that he never drinks water or eats in front of the jury because they can't do either one.

Any good trial lawyer knows that if you've got one credible expert or scientific study, then you can let the jury decide.

Like all trial attorneys, he knew the importance of not dressing too well.

Talk to the jury as though your client's fate depends on every word you utter.

My theory on an existing crisis is that you have to be very strategic about each case's unique elements. If a crisis involves a legal component, you need a communication strategy that complements the company's legal objective. A strategy for a plea deal is different than a case going to trial.

Lawyers are always confident before the verdict. It's only after that they share their doubts.

Lawyers know that certain witnesses are simply not going to be cooperative and are not going to answer the questions. And what matters at that point is what is your question? Because everything you want the jury to know should be in your question, or everything you want the jury to wonder about should be in your question.

The Brer Rabbit ploy has been quite effective for me. When a country is talking about prosecuting me, I demand to be charged and put on trial and offer to pay my own airfare. They know that I'm going to bring a lot of international media with me and put their whaling programme on trial, and they decide it's better to keep quiet and do nothing.

Any litigator will tell you that adding to your legal team on the eve of trial most likely will not produce better lawyering but, rather, chaos.

Implications of treason are fed like cubes of sugar to the twelve-headed animal which is justice. In ... opening remarks. In the way questions are asked. In support of lines of questioning where cases of treason are cited and the Judge endorses the relevance of the citation.