Customer Reviews

Trial Techniques (U.S. Edition)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mauet's book has been around for a long time and it's beginning to show its age. The new edition sticks with the same format and doesn't add much new material. It offers solid advice that hardly anyone would disagree with, but in fact that's one of its flaws: it just doesn't push the envelope. For example, it tries to teach trial skills by looking only at hypothetical situations and fictional characters. Why use fiction when real life is so much more interesting and instructive? Why not use real court cases and learn from the mistakes and successes of lawyers we all know about?

My favorite trial techniques book right now is Winning at Trial, written by a current US Attorney (D. Shane Read). The author not only knows what he's talking about (you get the same solid advice as with Mauet), but the book also comes with two DVDs with over 4 hours of video from televised trials (including the O.J. trial), as well as numerous transcripts from actual trials. For students, your professor is probably going to stick with whatever text they're currently using, but I would recommend Read's book as a complement to give you a better idea of what really good (and not so good) trial attorneys do in actual trials.

Mauet's Trial Technique is the classic textbook for trial courses in law schools around the country. It works just as well as a reference book for trial. It takes one through every step of trial, assuming the reader knows nothing about procedure. For example, not only does it teach how to lay a foundation for an exhibit with a witness, it tells you who to give the exhibit to to have it marked (the court clerk). This is not for advanced trial lawyers but is a good textbook for beginners and a solid reference for lawyers who only occassionally go to trial.

This reference book tells you everything that you wanted to know about trials, but were afraid to ask. It is an excellent reference work for law students or inexperienced trial lawyers who want to grasp the fundamentals of trial techniques, so as to at least look and sound as if they know what they are doing. It is a comprehensive work that covers methodology, as well as trial strategy.

The book gives the reader instructive examples on ways of accomplishing a specific task, which, while not dispositive, are invaluable to the inexperienced. It gives the novice a starting point from which one may develop his or her own particular style. The book offers basic trial techniques without which no novice trial lawyer should be. It is your basic primer on trial work with the emphasis on jury trials. It is well organized and easy to follow. If you only have room for one trial techniques book on your shelf, this should be the one.

If you only ever bought one book on trial technique, this would be it. It is clear, straightforward, and easy to comprehend. It changed my own perception of how to try a case, and moved me from the rank of despairing novice to comfortable journeyman. It is easily the best reference work of its type I have ever used.

This book is absolutely fantastic. It's almost like a "Trials for Dummies" book for young attorneys and law students. Mauet's writing is easy to read and his advice is easy to follow. He provides examples that really drive home his points. This book should be assigned reading for every trial advocacy class. It was not assigned for my class but an attorney recommeded it to me and I found it invaluable. If you have a trial competition coming up, or are simply in over your head as a young attorney, reach for this lifeline ASAP!

The book is well written. Every lawyer has their own style, so several of the "techniques" recommended in the book are criticized by practicing attorneys. The chapters are pretty broad, I believe the entire book is less than 10 chapters: picking a jury, opening statement, direct, cross, exhibits, closing statement, expert witnesses. The information is accurate but this book is not a how to.

I bought this book when I first started practicing law and trying cases, and it has been a wonderful resource for me. I think this is a must-have book for any attorney who is looking to sharpen their trial skills.

The book I bought was advertised as new. It was not new. Some of the pages were already highlighted.

The product in itself is fine. However, It took almost a month for me to receive the book. When in the purchase reciept it said it would arrive within 7 to 10 business days. I bought other books through Amazon from private owners and I received those books 2 days after my purchase and I was still waiting for the book I ordered through amazon. I would think that Amazon would be more speedy with purchases.