Legal-Ease: Judge or jury?

Depending on the charges being argued, court cases are either determined in front of a judge or a jury. While people accused of crimes against society are nearly always entitled to a jury trial, not all decisions are made by juries – judges have a lot of leeway in determining what evidence can be admitted, the interpretation of written documents, and other important decisions.

Legal-Ease: Questions on legal ethics

Some actions taken by attorneys may some disingenuous or contrary to the idea of ethics, but several less-known rules governing attorney behavior can sometimes help to explain their behavior.

Legal-Ease: Power of promises, legally speaking

Promises are an area of law that can sometimes be foggy. Contracts are a form of promises, and typically legally binding. However, some promises are made hastily and without any legal oversight, making them less likely to hold up in court. In general, it’s a good idea to get a written note and have a lawyer look it over before considering a contract legal.

Legal-Ease: The rules in asking questions of witnesses

Although TV and the Internet portray lawyers in the courtroom as either geniuses or bumbling idiots, most of the time questioning a witness is a more mundane middle ground. Typically, one attorney questions a witness they believe will help their case—this is “direct examination.” Then, the other lawyer questions the witness during “cross examination.”

Legal-Ease: Good Judges are smart, impartial, pragmatic and patient in analysis

Judges aren’t only in charge of making important decisions, they also play a role in helping people and their attorneys navigate their ways through the judicial system. Attorney Lee R. Schroeder thinks that the most important characteristic of a great judge is intelligence, but also important in choosing a great judge are impartiality, patience and more.