"... unique study and collection of final arguments ... meets a real need for trial lawyers ... not only provides ideas to be borrowed but inspires the lawyer's own creativity in preparing summation."
ROBERT W. RICHIE
Tennessee Lawyer
Former President, NACDL
Today my copy of Ray Moses’s Jury Argument in Criminal Cases: A Trial Lawyer’s Guide (Second Edition) arrived in the mail. This is one of my favorite resources, but I had never gotten around to ordering a copy before now — I’d used it at one law library or another. This is a wonderful book.
It’s also a large book — almost 1500 pages of jury argument: law, advice, and examples. The examples are the heart of the book — a thousand pages (I guess) of snippets (a sentence or a paragraph or two) of jury argument in criminal cases. Many of the snippets are attributed to one criminal defense lawyer or another, but most are unattributed. They are arranged by category. For example, there are 146 arguments (for both sides of the bar) on reasonable doubt. There are 69 arguments on self-defense, including five arguments on the duty to retreat. If you try criminal cases to juries, you want this book.
Voted ABA Best Criminal Blawg in USA - 2008WHAT REVIEWERS HAVE SAID ABOUT
JURY ARGUMENT
IN
CRIMINAL CASES
"This book comes to those of us engaged in this unique form of combat as a brand new automatic weapon straight from the homefront."
THE CHAMPION
National Association of
Criminal Defense Lawyers
"...a whole arsenal of arguments that range from the stock to the shrewd to the swank."
TRIAL DIPLOMACY
JOURNAL
"... an absolute gold mine of closing arguments. It has provided me the energy and ideas to go forth in the most difficult of cases. Any lawyer who thinks ' this case is hopeless ' should spend an evening with this book."
Judy Clarke
Former President
NACDL
"Jury Argument in Criminal Cases will become to final argument what Wellman's book was to cross-examination: the definitive source, the Bible. The books begins with a discussion of prosecutorial misconduct in closing and how to prevent it; it discusses creative motions; it covers organization, delivery, rhetorical skills, and strategy; it concludes with an encyclopedic compendium of sample arguments available for use in many recurring situations. Jury Argument in Criminal Cases is simply the best text available on this most critical of trial skills."
Eugene Iredale
CALIFORNIA LAWYER
"...written in a precise and energetic style, it combines real-life examples with scholarly comments on every phase of summation ..."
Criminal Law
Bulletin
"everything you ever wanted to know about closing argument ... an encyclopedia of tactics ... a thesaurus of examples."
Ephraim Margolin
Former President
NACDL
"It really is a 'trial lawyer's guide' to jury argument ... should be in the trial lawyer's library."
RICHARD "RACEHORSE" HAYNESTEXAS LAWYER
"A ready reference for both prosecutors and defense attorneys on all aspects of argument from preparation to final argument ...we have long needed a capsulized summary of the best arguments available ... this book provides that summary .. a job well done."
NORMAN S. EARLY, JR
FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DENVER. COLORADO
"... the most thorough and complete work on the subject we have seen ... it will be read and relied upon by even our most experienced trial practitioners ... a valued addition to our library.
EDWIN L. Miller, Jr.
Former District Attorney
San Diego, CA
"...makes such a substantial contribution to our work."
New York
Law Journal
"The second edition comes just in time, because my well-thumbed first edition is just about 'wore' out. Although it is hard to improve on perfection, the author has done just that. From positioning, dress, and use of visual aids, to helpful citations to the law, there is something for every practitioner, the neophyte or the old hand. There is a greatly expanded section of examples of real arguments.
The second edition of this excellent work is indispensable for any criminal defense lawyer."
Dick DeGuerin
Texas Lawyer
"... a most interesting book, full of practical ideas for the trial practitioner ... with assistance of the book, the working lawyer will find inspiration and guidance to the construction of a persuasive argument...
hope other lawyers about this country find it as helpful as I."
Albert J. Krieger
Past President
NACDL
"... a veritable cookbook of summations with an easily indexed assortment of traditional recipes, as well as unusual and novel dishes, combining regional specialties with gourmet fare."
J. Vincent Aprile, II
Kentucky Lawyer
"... an invaluable aid to both the novice and experienced practitioner who regularly attempt to find a 'fresh' idea in preparing jury summations ... fills a long-standing void in the trial lawyer's library ... a fantastic resource."
Ronald Meshbesher
Minnesota Lawyer Former President, NACDL
"... a must for every trial lawyer, whether criminal or civil. Regardless of whether you have been practicing for years or are just getting your feet wet, the book is a great guidepost ... long overdue."
The Late
CHARLES R. GARRY
CALIFORNIA LAWYER
"Beyond doubt the most authoritative, comprehensive treatment of this most important part of a trial."
HERALD PRICE FAHRINGER
NEW YORK LAWYER
"the extensive research and organization that went into preparing the manual is evident throughout ... goes a long way toward preventing impermissible argument."
Newman Flanagan
Former District Attorney
Boston, MA
"... a cornucopia of law, tactics. techniques and examples ... the best all-in-one sourcebook for discovering what arguments fellow lawyers are using to persuade juries ... an excellent example of advocacy at its best."
The Late Percy Foreman
Texas Lawyer
Former President, NACDL
