An excerpted clip from UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco of the late great Irving Younger delivering some key points of his much referenced 10 Commandments of Cross Examination. A true classic in the history of American legal education, Younger's Ten Commandments of Cross Examination are often cited, debated and over analyzed, but certainly not without their merits in at least familiarizing yourself with them.
1 Be brief.
2 Short questions, plain words.
3 Always ask leading questions.
4 Don't ask a question to which you do not know the answer.
5 Listen to the witness' answers.
6 Don't quarrel with the witness.
7 Don't allow the witness to repeat his direct testimony.
8 Don't permit the witness to explain his answers.
9 Don't ask the "one question too many."
10 Save the ultimate point of your cross for summation.
Mr. Younger passed away in 1988, but his insights into trial strategies continue play an important role in Tra...
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