Nothing but the truth : why trial lawyers don't, can't, and shouldn't have to tell the whole truth / Steven Lubet.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lubet, Steven.

Series:

Critical America

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Law--United States.

Law.

United States.

Trial practice--United States.

Trial practice.

Truthfulness and falsehood.

Physical Description:

xii, 219 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : New York University Press, [2001]

Summary:

A Novel And Engaging Analysis Of The Role Of Storytelling In Trial Advocacy The best lawyers are story-tellers, Steven Lubet says, who take raw, disjointed observations of witnesses and transform them into coherent, persuasive narratives. He demonstrates that the craft of storytelling helps to establish a "theory of the case"--a plausible explanation of the underlying events presented in the light most favorable to the client--and also develops the "trial theme, " the lawyer's way of adding moral force to the desired outcome. Yet, Lubet points out, storytelling may be misused. Every story must ultimately be based on "nothing but the truth." Lubet elaborates the stories of six trials. Some of the cases are real, including John Brown and Wyatt Earp, while some are fictional, including Atticus Finch and Liberty Valance. The overall conclusion is that purposive storytelling proves a necessary dimension to our adversary system of justice.

Contents:

Biff and me : stories that are truer than true

Edgardo Mortara : forbidden truths

John Brown : political truth and consequences

Wyatt Earp : truth and context

Liberty Valance : truth or justice

Atticus Finch : race, class, gender, and truth

Sheila McGough : the impossibility of the whole truth.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0814751733

OCLC:

45208116