Product Description
Most evidentiary rulings are within the judge’s discretion, and are made in seconds. Bad rulings are almost never reversible. As a result, victory usually goes to the lawyer who can prevail on the big objections in the heat of battle.
The key to winning evidentiary debates is objecting and responding with arguments and supporting authority at your fingertips. That is where Judge Gregory Ward (Ret.) and Audra Ibarra’s California Objections can help.
It uses a courtroom-friendly format to cover more than 125 objections with clear and concise explanations, trial-tested tips, persuasive arguments, and supporting cases.
Designed for Eve-of-Trial and Courtroom Use
When time is short, California Objections delivers quickly with:
- Pattern Objections — Model language for 125 objections. Big headings and logical organization take you to the right objection in seconds.
- Comments —The application, scope, and purpose of the governing rules in straightforward language.
- Practice Tips — Elevate your advocacy with the cautions, strategies, and advice from the bench offered here.
- Responsive Arguments — Never let an unforeseen objection catch you flat-footed again. Anticipate, preclude, and meet objections with the authors’ expert strategies for counter-attack.
- Objection Tactics — Use these arguments to fight admission of the opposition’s evidence, or to minimize its impact. Included are alternative strategies and what you need to put on the record.
- Case Law — These concise summaries speed trial preparation and help you cite supporting authority in your briefs and in the courtroom.
1,800 Recent Cases
Ideally suited to the demands of trial and last-minute trial preparation, California Objections provides a time-saving alternative to lengthy treatises. Its concise but well-supported text puts the rules and cases at your fingertips. And its practical orientation guides you through the realities of evidentiary battles.
Covers All Important Objections
California Objections is more than an evidence book. In addition to evidentiary objections, you’ll find objections to jury selection, opening statement, closing argument, jury charges, judicial conduct and more. Coverage of all significant trial objections—from jury selection through directed verdict—gives California Objections vastly greater practical value than an evidence-only book.
Delivers More Than Objections
The scope and breadth of California Objections far exceeds the mechanics and arguments of making and meeting objections. Rules, definitions, distinctions, scope, weight, advice from the bench, examples, and procedures are provided for key evidentiary issues. Principles are extensively supported with case authority, and the underlying scholarship will impress you.
From pretrial proceedings through expert testimony to summation, the practical coverage in this new trial practice book will quickly earn its inexpensive keep.
Don’t let opposing counsel’s objections block the admission of your critical evidence. And don’t be caught unprepared when opposing counsel offers evidence you could obstruct—if you made the proper objection.
Your case is set for trial. Your evidence is lined up, and your witnesses are ready. Are you? Do you know the rules of evidence and procedure so that you can seamlessly present your case and object to your opponent’s evidence confidently and without hesitation? California Objections will ensure you are battle-ready.
REVISION 16 HIGHLIGHTS
Prepare to seamlessly present your case and confidently object to your opponent’s evidence with California Objections. This edition includes new and updated text in 20 chapters and more than 100 new case notes. The new text and cases cover a wide array of topics, including:
• Expedited jury trials.
• Scope of court’s discretion to control voir dire.
• Prescreening of juror questionnaires and stipulations to dismiss jurors.
• Process for determining whether peremptory challenges were used for a discriminatory purpose.
• Effect of juror’s intentional or inadvertent failure to disclose material information.
• Adoptive admissions; declarations against interest; spontaneous statements and dying declarations.
• Meaningful opportunity for cross-examination as a prerequisite to admission of former testimony.
• The attorney-client privilege and a criminal defendant’s right to confrontation.
• Waiver of the work-product privilege.
• Specific instances of conduct to show a witness’ character for truthfulness or its opposite in criminal cases.
• Requirements for admission of computer animation to illustrate expert testimony.
• Disclosure of expert witness information in civil cases.
• Admissibility of expert testimony on credibility of witnesses who are minors.
• Misstatements of law by opposing counsel.
• Personal attacks during argument.
• Court’s obligation to instruct the jury on the law.
• Use of Judicial Council approved jury instructions.
• Juror’s failure to follow instructions.
• Juror’s reliance on outside information or expertise.
