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The Good Wife Does Objections Right, Circumstantial Evidence Wrong

February 6, 2010

Tags: circumstantial evidence, eyewitness testimony, hostile witness, objections, The Good Wife, writing, writing tips

It doesn’t take much to give me a thrill when I’m watching a legal drama. Even the tiniest bit of law done right can make me happy. Yes, I’m probably easily amused. But when a screenwriter gets it right, I jump for joy because it’s so darned rare.

HOSTILE WITNESSES

When I was watching The Good Wife last week, the lawyer was examining a witness using leading questions. In general, leading questions are ones with yes or no answers. Opposing counsel objected to the leading questions. The lawyer conducting the examination responded that the witness was hostile and he was allowed to lead.

When the judge overruled the objection, I was happy beyond words. That tiny bit of correct procedure added to my viewing pleasure. Here’s what was going on that they got right.
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White Collar Doesn’t Know Squat About Judges

February 1, 2010

Tags: judges, jurisdiction, writing tips

White Collar is an enjoyable show about a con man (I’d say ex-con man, but he’s not really ex) who is conscripted by the FBI to uncover other con men and women. But their last show irked the heck out of me because it was about a judge gone bad.

The problem? (more…)

Selected Works

Nonfiction
The Writer’s Guide to the Courtroom: Let’s Quill All the Lawyers
Experienced lawyer giving novelists, screenwriters and journalists guidance on the civil justice system.

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