Convincing presentation of the evidence in argument on the facts.

• Jurisdiction: United States

Section 36. Convincing presentation of the evidence in argument on the facts.—The problem of effectively arguing facts boils down to so marshalling your evidence as to make it thoroughly convincing to the judicial reader. Basically, three steps are necessary: assertion, presentation, and conclusion. First you state what you intend to show. Next you set forth the evidence, using pertinent quotations from documents and testimony, stressing any inconsistencies in the case against you, and making full use of that most deadly of all comparisons, the parallel column technique. Finally you conclude, generally by restating your original assertion.

Whenever the case is at all complicated, it is well to divide up the several points you are making, and to make liberal use of argumentative subheadings, so that the direction of your thought is clear. Remember that what you are aiming at is to leave conviction in the minds of your readers, and remember also that no characterization, however apt, ever has the stark impressiveness of verbatim extracts from damaging testimony or from letters...