The Trial Judge

• Author: John Hollander
• Pages: 67-81

the trial judge

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the trial judge

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chapter three

The Trial Judge

   handbook about courtroom examinations, and

as such, it must deal with one of the essential partici-

pants — the trial judge. is handbook discusses several

issues that confront the trial lawyer, many of which are

simple, commonsense. However, advocates often do not

consider how the judge perceives the drama unfolding

in the courtroom. One of the essential themes of all the

handbooks in this series is that the lawyer must consider

the other people in the room. Seen from the perspective

of these other participants, the case is entirely dierent.

For a trial lawyer conducting an examination, there

are always two other people who are critically important

to success: the witness and the trial judge. In most cases,

there is also a third person who matters, opposing coun-

sel. And often, there are other people who matter, such as

clients and opposing parties. is chapter deals with the

plight of the overworked, underappreciated trial judge.

Consider the mandate of the judge. Really, there are

three:

• Do justice to the case being heard.

• Protect the witness and maintain order in the court.

• Finish the case to make room for the next one.