Dynamic Cross-Examination

Imagine a cross-examination technique that can consistently destroy a witness's credibility, elicit surprising answers, and create the powerful moments that win hard cases. Imagine a strategy that allows you to easily control hostile witnesses and get exactly what you want from them-support for the crucial points of your case. Dynamic Cross-Examination rejects the old adage that you must never ask a question to which you do not know the answer. Instead, this book reveals the importance of remaining flexible and being unafraid to take risks. Author James H. McComas, an attorney well known for winning seemingly impossible cases, explains that taking a more creative approach to advocacy opens the door to achieving much greater success. By mixing leading and nonleading questions, closely monitoring a witness's behavior, maintaining a fluid and energetic pace, and adapting your line of questioning to take advantage of unexpected responses, you can create and seize opportunities to drive your points home during cross-examination. That is why Rick Friedman, in his foreword to this book, affirms that he has used McComas's method in every cross-examination he has conducted over the past twenty years. In this straightforward book, McComas leads you through nine case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of his Dynamic Cross-Examination technique in civil and criminal cases. Insightful commentary accompanies each transcript, offering you concrete examples of how to elicit opportunities to win from a witness, discredit eyewitness and expert testimony, effectively use in-court demonstrations, handle objections, and deliver killer comebacks. As McComas shows, the key to winning a tough trial is using cross-examination to promote your own case, while undermining your opponent. Dynamic Cross-Examination gives you the confidence you need to think on your feet and get exactly what you want from witnesses.