Criminal Trial Advocacy Books

My purpose in creating the CCJA web site and writing a series of how-to-do-it monographs is to offer a learning environment that will encourage you to educate yourselves by reading before and after class. The key to unlocking your potential as a courtroom lawyer is study, practice, reflection and integration.

Our primary text is ASSIGNMENTS IN CRIMINAL TRIAL ADVOCACY. This 625 page book contains the simulated litigation exercises you will be performing during the first ten weeks, together with discussion notes. Click Assignments for a list of the first ten weeks of problems and exercises.

Those who desire technical and tactical how-to-do-it advice on performing the simulated litigation exercises are urged to read the 2-volume 2008 Criminal Trial Practice Manual (+1000 information-packed pages re trial skills) provided for you. Your personal Assignment book and skills manual, all written by your instructor, should be obtained from the instructor's Staff Assistant in Room 620 from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. M-F. Collect these materials several days in advance of the first class session.

Try to make it a habit to read the portion of the skills manual that corresponds to the weekly assignment. The titles of various chapters are listed below. No one but you can make you skilled, but these how-to-do-it aids, from the criminal pretrial and trial practice series, will open the gate.