Cross-Examination Edge: A Guide to Effective Questioning

The Cross-Examination Edge: A Guide to Effective Questioning, by Peter Polchinski, is a book that should be in every trial lawyers library. It is short and direct and covers basic rules that every trial attorney should follow. There are many good books on effective cross-examination, but many are long and act as reference books that an attorney might only refer to occasionally if he or she anticipates encountering an issue with a particular witness. This book provides a good and effective review of some of the basic principles of cross-examination. Every trial attorney has his or her own style in the courtroom. One thing my first employer told me was that I should be myself and not try to imitate someone elses style. Although there are as many different styles of trying a case as there are lawyers, there are still certain principles of cross-examination that all lawyers should follow. This book does not suggest that one style or another is better but deals with various ways of attacking a witnesss direct testimony.; It is rare that a witnesss testimony is totally destroyed on cross-examination. The main purpose of cross-examination is to weaken the testimony of the witness as much as possible. The author reviews various ways of challenging a witnesss testimony, and he also gives good examples of how this is accomplished. There is probably nothing in the book that any experienced trial attorney does not already know. However, this book is an excellent review. At 70 pages, it is easy to read and should be read before each trial and occasionally just as a refresher, rather than be used as a reference book if you have a particular question about cross-examination.