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Mastering the Art of Legal Presentations: Essential Tips and Tricks

Navigating through law school and legal careers, budding attorneys realize that mastering the art of presentation is as crucial as knowing the letter of the law. Whether it's arguing a mock trial, presenting a case in court, or persuading peers during a seminar, effective presentation skills can set you apart in the competitive field of law. This Q&A post delves into some of the most commonly asked questions about law presentations and offers presentation hacks aimed at making you a more compelling legal communicator.

Do Presentation Skills Really Matter for Lawyers?

Absolutely! In the legal profession, presenting ideas and arguments clearly and persuasively is critical to success. The American Bar Association emphasizes the importance of honing presentation skills from law school onwards; being persuasive and articulate is a part of your toolkit as an attorney.

What Are Some Effective Presentation Hacks for Legal Professionals?

Start With a Clear Message : Know the core message of your presentation and keep it concise. A clear thesis helps you stay on track and makes your argument more digestible for your audience.

Understand Your Audience : Gauge the level of understanding your audience has about the topic. Presenting to peers might require a different approach than speaking to a jury or a judge.

Use Storytelling : A legal case is essentially a story with a problem and a resolution. Tapping into the power of storytelling can make your presentation more engaging and memorable.

Practice, Practice, Practice : Rehearse your presentation multiple times. This helps reduce nervousness and ensures you're comfortable with the material.

Seek Feedback : Before your presentation, practice in front of colleagues or mentors and ask for constructive criticism to sharpen your delivery.

How Can I Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety Before a Legal Presentation?

Facing a courtroom or an auditorium can be intimidating, but there are strategies to combat this anxiety. Preparing thoroughly is a start; being familiar with every aspect of your presentation can alleviate fear. Additionally, techniques like deep breathing, visualization, and positive self-talk can be beneficial. Moreover, watching inspiring TED Talks on public speaking can provide valuable insights into overcoming fears and delivering impactful messages.

For those looking for a comprehensive solution to enhance their presentation skills, we suggest exploring various features of presentation-focused tools and platforms. While not a substitute for personal practice, these tools can offer unique insights and aid in your delivery. For instance, the features section on College Tools may provide some interesting avenues to explore.

What Role Does Body Language Play in Legal Presentations?

Your physical presence can be as compelling as the words you speak. A poised stance, eye contact, and intentional gestures can convey confidence and help underscore your points. Posture and movement can non-verbally communicate passion for your subject matter and connect with your audience on a more profound level.

Can Technology Help in Improving my Presentations?

Definitely! Technology and AI-powered tools can assist in fine-tuning your presentations. They can help in organizing content, providing cues, and even analyzing your pace and tone. Embracing technology can also make your presentations more dynamic, engaging audiences with multimedia elements that might not be possible with traditional methods.

How Important Is the Quality of Visual Aids in Legal Presentations?

Visual aids should not distract from the message but rather support it. High-quality, pertinent visuals can reinforce your argument or help to clarify complex concepts. Carefully consider your choice of visuals, whether they're diagrams, timelines, or other graphical elements; they should be professionally rendered and easy to understand.

Becoming an effective legal presenter takes time, practice, and a willingness to learn from each experience. Employing the right presentation hacks , understanding the significance of effective communication , and continuing to build upon public speaking skills will prove invaluable throughout your legal career. Strive for clarity, conciseness, and connection with your audience, and you'll be better equipped to make your case, inside and outside the courtroom.

Conclusion: Strong presentation skills are a foundational element of a successful legal career. This Q&A has addressed critical aspects of delivering compelling legal presentations, offering insights and hacks to help you polish your communication prowess. Remember, the journey to becoming an articulate legal professional is ongoing; continue learning, practicing, and adapting to become the best presenter you can be.

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What is a Trial Presentation? Everything You Need to Know

by Carolina Barbalace | Jul 31, 2023 | Present in Court | 0 comments

Attorneys go to court ready with a trial presentation. So should you. 

You may be asking yourself, what is a trial presentation?

A trial presentation is a visual and legal aid designed to present your evidence, argument, and legal analysis in a way that is easy for the judge to follow and understand. 

Why is it important to use a Trial Presentation?

Make your case stronger: .

You want to be as persuasive as possible when you’re in court. A trial presentation helps you present your evidence in a way that’s easy for the judge to understand and see the strength of your case.

Preparing a Trial Presentation not only helps you present your evidence effectively but also assists you in organizing your thoughts and arguments. With a well-structured outline and identified key points, you can ensure that you cover all the important information in a logical and easy-to-follow way.

Show the Judge You’re Credible:  

When you’re in court, it’s important to come across as credible and prepared. With a trial presentation, you can showcase your evidence professionally and organized. The judge will see that you’ve made the effort to build a strong case and deserve their serious attention. It also demonstrates that you value the judge’s time and are conscientious.

Also, a trial presentation can make the judge more engaged and focused. By using visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and photographs, you can capture the judge’s attention and help them to better understand your argument. These visuals bring your case to life and make it easier for the judge to follow along.

What should be included in a Trial Presentation?

Opening statement:.

The beginning of your trial presentation is crucial. It all starts with an opening statement that sets the stage for your case. This statement introduces the judge to the important facts, aligning them with the specific legal elements involved. It’s your chance to clearly state what you seek from the judge.

When crafting your opening statement, remember that it shapes the impression of your entire case. You want to convey confidence, organization, and preparedness. Keep it concise, focusing on the key facts that support your argument. Avoid overwhelming the judge with unnecessary details.

Include a chronological timeline of the events and evidence in your case. This timeline is a valuable asset that helps the judge follow the events leading up to your case. By visually organizing your evidence on a timeline, you can demonstrate when crucial facts occurred and how they connect. Doing this gives the judge a deeper understanding of your case’s context and empowers them to make an informed decision.

To make the most of your timeline, ensure that each piece of evidence on the timeline is assigned a page number corresponding to its location in your trial presentation. This way, the judge can easily navigate to the relevant evidence, facilitating a smooth and efficient review of your case.

Damages Table:

A damages table is a vital component that showcases all the damages you claim in a neat and structured format, complete with accurate calculations. This table plays a crucial role when presenting your case to the judge, allowing you to show the exact amount of money you deserve

Think of the damages table as a handy list that outlines the money you seek. By having a damaged table, you can ensure that you cover all the different types of money you need to ask for, leaving no important details behind. This organized approach presents a compelling case and helps the judge understand your arguments easily, making a favorable decision more likely.

Finally, include copies of all the evidence supporting your case in your trial presentation. From documents and text messages to emails, photographs, and videos, leave no stone unturned in presenting the full picture.

Also, ensure that each piece of evidence is clearly labeled. Moreover, organize your evidence logically and chronologically so the judge can easily navigate each piece.  

In conclusion, a trial presentation can help strengthen your case and be more persuasive. It allows you to organize your thoughts, gain the judge’s trust, and keep everyone engaged in the courtroom. By following the steps and including these important sections in your presentation, you can clearly present your case and increase your chances of winning. Take advantage of this opportunity to confidently share your side of the story, leave a lasting impression, and achieve a favorable outcome in your legal journey.

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Home » Thought Leadership » 5 TIPS FOR A GREAT TRIAL PRESENTATION

• July 6, 2021

5 TIPS FOR A GREAT TRIAL PRESENTATION

When you enter a courtroom, you want to believe that the person with the best argument will walk away with a verdict on their side. Although this is generally true, a great trial presentation can help sway the outcome of a case. There are a plethora of psychological studies that demonstrate that people think in pictures. So what does that mean for your trial presentation?Most importantly, it means that people will conjure up their own images unless you can provide one for them. It’s important for jurors to come away with the same information, even when your presentation has been filtered through personal beliefs and biases. Modern television has also influenced the way jurors think about the court system, and many come into court expecting photographic evidence and 3D recreations. Of course, each case is different, but the following tips can help you present compelling visual evidence at trial:

1. Be the person who does the simplification

Don’t give your audience room to draw incorrect conclusions. Although you can leave some room for interpretation when necessary, especially when you are legally unable to spell things out for the jurors, it’s still important that you are the person who connects the dots for your audience. This ensures that everyone is on the same page, and can help bring people together in agreement with you when the jury retires for deliberation.

2. Reinforce specific themes

There will be places in your presentation where you have the opportunity to make important points through your use of titles. Slide and presentation titles are much more interesting when they pose a question, make a statement, or reinforce a theme.  For example, “Timeline” and “Personal History” are weak titles and underutilize one of your best opportunity for imprinting themes and posing questions. Instead, consider using a title such as “What Were John Doe’s Motivations?”, which poses a question that your audience knows you will answer. Luckily, because titles are easy to change, you’ll be able to swap things out on the fly, even if a judge objects to a title you’ve chosen.

3. Enhance your presentation by cutting the copy

Keep your bullet points short and your slides sparse. Although visual impact is an important part of your overall presentation, you should have minimal words on the page. You don’t want your audience to be distracted as they try to read ahead or catch up. Don’t read verbatim from the slides. When you keep your sentences short and simple, you also remove the temptation for yourself!

4. Assume a short attention span

Plan to lose everyone’s attention. Of course, ideally your audience would be rapt the whole time and hanging on your every point. However, it’s best to assume that you need descriptive graphics to keep people tuned in. Graphs, 3D animation, photos, sketches and other visual elements, are much more interesting than plain text.

5. Play to your audience

Finally, you should always try to play to your audience. Consider who they are, and their interests, beliefs and biases. Craft your argument with a specific type of person in mind. The jury is not made up of blank slates. You must consider what kind of evidence your audience can grasp, and provide visual images and contexts familiar to them.

When your presentation is well practiced and well structured, you’ll deliver a common visual experience for those in the courtroom. When you control the visuals, you can guide and shape the narrative to better bolster your own case. Visuals also enhance the ability of your jury to retain case facts and essential information. A great trial presentation can turn the tide of a case by crafting an overarching story that is most beneficial to your client.

For more information on trial presentations, or for help creating some of the compelling visuals we’ve discussed above, reach out to our Trial Presentation department at (800) 889-0111.

If you have questions on any of our services, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

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6 Tips to Make Your Legal Presentations Pop

No legal presentation is ever like another..

Sometimes attorneys handle dry, complicated intellectual property matters; other times, emotional personal injury cases.

But in many years of making dynamic presentations for all kinds of hearings and audiences, our team has learned that there are a few important steps that will ensure your slides have the weight and power they deserve.

1. Don’t Be Generic

Ugh. You know that jurors have seen a standard-issue PowerPoint template a bazillion times.

When using generic templates with little personality, you risk losing your audience’s attention. Instead, try some simple customization and color to make them stand out and hold attention. Curved edges, color contrast,  gradients, and better fonts for more readable slides are a few simple ways you can customize your presentation.

…Don’t Worry, You Can Still Print Them

I know what you may be thinking – if you’re worried about printing slides with a dark background, PowerPoint does let you print in pure black and white, which is great for markups and saves on toner.

2. Make Images That Stand Out

If you’re not sure whether to go with a dark or light background, consider your content. For example, photos stand out more on a dark background.

In a bright room, text tends to be easier to read on a light background.

And if your content varies throughout the presentation and includes both text and images, consider using what we call an “accent box” – basically a block of white on a darker background. This works best for the text-heavy slides.

3. It Starts With a Great Title

Another important consideration for templates is the slide title. Aligning titles to the left margin ensures that they will start in the same spot every time, which makes them much easier to follow for readers than center aligning. Try to keep titles on one line, but if you must go onto a second line, make sure the top line is shorter than the bottom. Putting a soft return (shift+return) where you want the title to break onto the next line makes a big difference in readability.

4. Better Typography = More Readable Text

A presentation full of text slides can definitely get boring for audiences. But even the best presenters need the occasional bulleted list slide.

To keep your bullet point slides readable, be as concise as possible. One line per bullet is preferable, but if you must go onto two lines, it helps to have proper line spacing (leading) set up so that your ideas do not blur into a mass of text. Also be sure to avoid leaving a single word on the second line (we call that a widow).

Keep your font size large enough to read, but not too large. A good rule to follow is 46-52 characters per line (1.5 to 2 full alphabets). If you only have a couple bullet slides, consider using icons instead of plain circle or square bullets for additional visual impact.

5. No More Boring Icons and Stock Photos!

If you are struggling to find imagery for your presentation, don’t default to using cheesy clipart! Websites like the Noun Project , Vecteezy , Creative Commons , and Brands of the World can help you find great icons, stock photos and logos without licensing fees. (Pay attention to licensing – some icons and photos may require attribution.)

6. Test the Equipment

Our last, but perhaps most important tip – take a test run. It’s devastating to slave away on a presentation only to see it completely washed out and unreadable on the courtroom projector. Try to get into the courtroom during set up to test your slides on the equipment that will be used during your presentation.

If you can’t use the actual machine, test it on the worst projector or monitor you can find, just to be safe. This is especially true if your usual computer has a high quality monitor. For example, there is always a big difference between what we see on our MacBook screens versus typical projector screens.

We’re Here to Help With Trial Presentation

Most of these are simple tips, but taken together, they deliver professional, polished presentations that make sure your audience hears what you’re trying to tell them. For more help with your presentation, schedule a consultation with our services team . We can make compelling graphics, videos, and more. We can even come to your trial to run the slides and manage the technical aspects of presentation , so that you can focus on delivering a winning argument.

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Trial Presentation 101: Impactful Courtroom Demonstratives

Trial preparation 101: strategies for building winning arguments, why the cloud is the only answer for multi district litigation.

(800) 789-0084  

• Apr 20, 2021

Creating an Effective PowerPoint Presentation for a Legal Proceeding

PowerPoint presentations have long been used in the courtroom to deliver important arguments to a judge and jury. Although this technology is not new, many attorneys still struggle to use the software effectively. Without the right tools, even the strongest legal arguments may be lost on the audience.

The Basics: Know Your Screen

The type of screen on which your presentation will be displayed makes a significant difference in its visual clarity. An older pull-down screen in a courtroom may not be as easy to view as a large high-definition monitor. The lighting in the presentation environment also has a large impact on the screen.

At TrialSpectrum, Inc., our team of professionals carefully studies the location of your presentation, whether it is a large courtroom or a small conference room. This allows us to create a PowerPoint presentation that is tailored to the specific environment in which you will be presenting.

Fonts and Colors

The font type and font colors you select for your PowerPoint presentation determine whether your audience is able to read the information you are delivering. For example, did you know that sans serif fonts are usually easier on the eyes? Capitalizing every word in a block of text is also generally ineffective, and many background colors can cause many viewers’ eyes to strain. At TrialSpectrum, Inc., we know the best types of fonts and font colors to use to ensure your audience is able to read text, regardless of their age or visual acuity.

Do Not Read from the Screen

A PowerPoint presentation is a visual aid . A visual aid should support an attorney’s presentation—not be the entire presentation itself. An attorney should use a PowerPoint presentation to drive home important facts and legal arguments. If the attorney simply stands in front of a judge and jury and reads from a slide, the attorney risks these individuals becoming bored and unimpressed.

At TrialSpectrum, Inc., we will work with you to help you use a PowerPoint presentation as a supplemental tool to strengthen your legal arguments. We will help you practice and will provide tips to you to increase the effectiveness of your delivery.

Plan Your Position

Where you stand during a PowerPoint presentation is important. You want to be able to address your audience while tying your statements to the slides that are displayed. Stand too close to your audience and they may focus on you instead of the PowerPoint. If you stand too far away, the audience may become distracted.

The team of professionals at TrialSpectrum, Inc., will help you determine where you should stand to deliver your message effectively. We will also discuss body language and whether you should move about the room at all during your presentation.

A Variety of Visual Elements

One of the greatest advantages of using PowerPoint software is its ability to include a variety of visual elements into a single presentation. Attorneys are able to incorporate photos, audio clips, videos, graphics, animations, and a variety of other pieces of evidence into a single presentation. Because everyone learns information differently, a PowerPoint presentation is an excellent tool to use to ensure the audience understands both the facts of a case and the laws and regulations that may affect them.

Contact TrialSpectrum, Inc. Today to Begin Creating a PowerPoint Presentation

The team of litigation consultants and trial technology experts at TrialSpectrum, Inc., has the tools you need to elevate your legal arguments. We not only create effective PowerPoint presentations, but we also work with you to ensure you are comfortable using the software. We are available the day of your presentation as well to assist with any technological issues you may have. To learn more about our company and the services we offer, call 800-789-0084 or visit www.trialspectrum.com.

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Litigation and Legal Presentation Service: Essential Strategies for Lawyers

December 14, 2023

Presentation and Pitch Expert. Ex Advertising.

$100mill In Funding. Bald Since 2010.

In the high-stakes world of legal litigation, the power of effective communication cannot be overstated.

Whether it’s persuading a jury, presenting a case to a judge, or explaining complex legal strategies to clients, the ability to convey information clearly, persuasively, and compellingly is paramount.

For lawyers, mastering the art of presentation is not just about eloquence; it’s a strategic tool essential for legal success.

In an era where attention spans are short and the burden of information is heavy, lawyers face the dual challenge of simplifying complex legal concepts while retaining their potent force.

This article aims to unravel the nuances of crafting impactful presentations tailored specifically for the legal arena.

Today’s legal presentations can include anything from high-definition videos to interactive digital exhibits, making them more engaging and memorable. However, with these advancements comes the challenge of staying abreast of the latest tools and techniques that can give a legal argument the cutting edge.

In the following sections, we will delve into various aspects of legal presentations. From the art of visual storytelling in legal arguments to leveraging technology for engaging presentations, this article is designed to be a comprehensive guide for lawyers looking to refine their presentation skills.

Whether you are a seasoned attorney or just starting in the legal field, these insights will help you communicate more effectively, leaving a lasting impact on your audience.

Your trial deserves impactful slides.

We can help you create them and save you 20+ hours that you can spend working on your case. Let’s talk about your presentation and save you a-lot of time.

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Ethical Considerations

Reflective practice and adaptation, navigating difficult conversations, incorporating research and feedback, testing and feedback, remote presentation tools, ethical and practical considerations, incorporating research and best practices, preparing for presentation, 5. casey anthony trial: emotional appeals and counter-narratives, 7. ethical considerations in presentations, networking and professional collaboration, get started with viktori.co – your partner in legal excellence, section 1: understanding the legal audience.

Understanding the audience is critical in legal presentations. Tailoring communication style and content based on whether you’re addressing a jury, a judge, clients, or colleagues can significantly influence the effectiveness of the presentation.

Audience Analysis: Key Factors

• Background Knowledge: Assess the audience’s familiarity with legal concepts. A jury, for instance, might have limited legal knowledge compared to a judge.
• Demographics: Consider factors like age, education level, and cultural background, which can influence how the audience perceives and processes information.
• Psychological Factors: Understanding the psychological makeup of the audience, such as biases, attention span, and emotional triggers, is essential. Studies in jury psychology, for example, reveal that jurors are influenced by both the content and the delivery of arguments.

Jury-Oriented Presentations: Tailoring Your Approach

Creating a presentation for a jury involves understanding their unique perspective as laypeople in legal matters and crafting your message accordingly. Here’s a detailed approach:

Understanding the Jury

Profile of a Typical Juror:

• Jurors usually lack legal training and might be unfamiliar with legal jargon and concepts.
• A study in the “Journal of Applied Social Psychology” suggests that jurors are more influenced by stories and emotional appeals than by complex legal arguments.

Key Strategies for Jury Presentations

1. Simplifying Complex Information:

• Use plain, everyday language to explain legal terms and procedures.
• Break down complex concepts into understandable parts using analogies or comparisons to familiar situations.

2. Storytelling and Narrative Construction:

• Create a compelling narrative that links the evidence and legal principles in a relatable way.
• Research by psychologists, such as Jerome Bruner, has emphasized the power of narratives in shaping understanding and decision-making.

3. Emotional Engagement:

• Humanize the legal arguments to create an emotional connection with the jury. This includes highlighting the human aspects of the case.
• Balance emotional appeals with factual accuracy to maintain credibility.

4. Visual Aids and Demonstratives:

• Employ visual aids like diagrams, charts, and videos to make complex data accessible.
• “Visual Persuasion in the Law,” a study published in the “American University Law Review,” underscores the effectiveness of visual aids in enhancing juror comprehension and retention.

Delivering the Presentation

5. Engaging Presentation Style:

• Maintain eye contact, use approachable body language, and modulate your voice to keep the jury engaged.
• Storytelling techniques, such as varying your tone and pace, can help keep the jury interested and attentive.

6. Anticipating and Addressing Juror Questions:

• Prepare for potential questions jurors might have, and address these proactively in your presentation.
• Be ready to clarify points without legal jargon, ensuring jurors fully understand the information.

7. Balancing Persuasion with Ethics:

• Ensure that all arguments and visual elements are ethically sound and factually accurate.
• Avoid misrepresenting evidence or facts to maintain integrity and trustworthiness.

Crafting jury-oriented presentations requires a mix of simplicity, narrative skill, visual clarity, and emotional intelligence.

By focusing on these areas and understanding the unique perspective of jurors, legal professionals can create more effective and persuasive presentations. Regularly updating presentation skills in line with ongoing research in legal psychology and communication can further enhance the effectiveness of jury presentations.

Judge-Oriented Presentations: Tailoring for Effectiveness

Presenting to a judge requires a specific approach, emphasizing legal accuracy, clarity, and logical structuring of arguments.

Here’s how to tailor presentations effectively for a judge-oriented audience, backed by relevant research and practices.

Understanding the Judge’s Perspective

• Legal Expertise: Judges are well-versed in the law and legal procedures, so presentations should reflect a high level of legal sophistication.
• Preference for Conciseness: Research indicates that judges appreciate conciseness and brevity in arguments. Avoid unnecessary elaboration and focus on the legal essentials (Source: “Judicial Writing Manual: A Pocket Guide for Judges” by the Federal Judicial Center).

Structuring the Presentation

• Present information in a logically coherent manner. Start with a clear thesis statement and follow with a structured argument that logically progresses.
• Use legal precedents and statutory references effectively to anchor your argument in established law.
• Emphasize legal reasoning and argumentation. Prioritize the presentation of legal principles, statutes, and case law over emotional or peripheral issues.

Effective Use of Language

• Use precise legal terminology. Judges expect a professional level of legal discourse, so appropriately using legal jargon can be effective.
• Ensure accuracy in your legal language to maintain credibility and authority.
• Be succinct and get to the point quickly. Judges value presentations that are straightforward and direct.

Incorporating Visual Aids

• Use visual aids judiciously. Graphs, charts, and timelines can be effective for illustrating complex legal relationships or timelines but should not overshadow the verbal argument.
• Ensure that visuals are clear, professional, and directly relevant to the legal arguments being made.

Preparing for Questions

• Be prepared for questioning from the judge. Anticipate potential queries or challenges to your argument and prepare concise, well-reasoned responses.
• Practice handling questions in a calm and composed manner.
• Ensure that all arguments and evidence presented are ethically sound and comply with legal standards. Misrepresentation or unethical tactics can severely undermine your credibility and the case.
• Seek feedback on your presentation style and effectiveness, especially from mentors or more experienced colleagues.
• Continuously refine your approach based on feedback and self-reflection.

Tailoring presentations for a judge requires a focus on legal rigor, clarity, and organization. Utilizing precise legal language, presenting arguments logically, and incorporating visuals effectively are key strategies.

Continuous improvement, informed by reflective practice and feedback, is essential to master the art of judge-oriented legal presentations.

Effective Communication with Clients

Translating legal complexity into understandable language.

• Simplifying Legal Terminology: Many clients may not be familiar with legal jargon. It’s important for lawyers to break down complex legal terms and concepts into simple, understandable language. This section would offer tips on how to translate legal language without losing the essence of the information.
• Using Analogies and Examples: Analogies and real-life examples can be powerful tools for making complex legal issues more relatable. Lawyers can draw comparisons to familiar scenarios to help clients grasp the nuances of their case or legal strategy.

Building and Maintaining Client Trust

• Open and Honest Communication: Trust is foundational in the lawyer-client relationship. Maintaining open lines of communication, being transparent about case progress, and setting realistic expectations are key. This part would discuss the importance of honesty and transparency in client communications.
• Regular Updates and Responsiveness: Keeping clients informed about the status of their case and being responsive to their inquiries reinforces trust. Strategies for effective and regular communication, including the use of technology for updates, would be explored.

Client-Centric Approach

• Understanding Client Needs and Goals: Each client has unique needs and goals. Lawyers need to understand these and tailor their communication and legal strategy accordingly. This section would provide insights into how to actively listen to clients and align legal advice with their specific objectives.
• Empathy and Understanding: Legal issues can be stressful for clients. Showing empathy and understanding their concerns can help in building a stronger, more trusting relationship. This part would emphasize the importance of empathy in client interactions.
• Delivering Bad News: Not all legal outcomes are favorable. This subsection would offer guidance on how to deliver bad news or discuss sensitive issues with clients, focusing on maintaining professionalism while being empathetic.
• Conflict Resolution: Sometimes, disagreements or misunderstandings arise between lawyers and clients. Tips on resolving conflicts amicably, through clear communication and mutual understanding, would be provided.

Concluding this section, the emphasis would be on viewing effective communication with clients not just as a skill, but as an art that involves understanding, empathy, and adaptability.

Lawyers who excel in client communication can foster long-lasting relationships and enhance their professional reputation.

Section 2: Designing Impactful Legal Presentations

Designing impactful legal presentations involves more than just relaying information; it’s about crafting a narrative, visualizing complex data, and engaging the audience effectively. Below are key strategies and research insights to enhance legal presentations.

• Strategy: Build a clear and compelling narrative that logically connects all elements of the case.
• Research Insight: According to studies in legal communication, a well-structured narrative can significantly enhance understanding and retention of information among audiences (Source: “Legal Communication & Rhetoric: JALWD”).
• Strategy: Structure the presentation to start with a strong opening, followed by a logical progression of arguments, and end with a powerful conclusion.
• Research Insight: Research on cognitive processing in legal contexts suggests that information structured in a clear, logical order is more persuasively effective (Source: “Journal of Legal Studies”).

Visualizing Complex Information

• Strategy: Incorporate charts, graphs, timelines, and infographics to present complex data or timelines in an easily digestible format.
• Research Insight: The Picture Superiority Effect, as noted in cognitive psychology, underscores the effectiveness of visuals in enhancing memory retention and comprehension (Source: “Educational Psychology Review”).
• Strategy: Use interactive displays and dynamic visuals, like animated reconstructions or simulations, to illustrate complex scenarios or evidence.
• Research Insight: Interactive visuals are found to increase engagement and facilitate deeper understanding (Source: “Multimedia Learning Theory”).

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Engaging Presentation Style

• Strategy: Utilize varying tones, controlled body language, and engaging storytelling techniques to maintain audience interest.
• Research Insight: Studies in courtroom rhetoric emphasize the importance of delivery style in persuading and retaining audience attention (Source: “Rhetoric Society Quarterly”).
• Strategy: Prepare for and welcome questions during the presentation, using them as opportunities to clarify and reinforce key points.
• Research Insight: Interactive presentations are shown to foster greater understanding and engagement (Source: “Journal of Applied Psychology”).

Adapting to the Audience

• Tailoring Content to Audience Needs:
• Strategy: Adjust the level of detail and type of language based on the audience’s familiarity with the subject matter.
• Research Insight: Audience adaptation is key in effective legal communication, as diverse audiences require different approaches for optimal understanding (Source: “Law and Human Behavior”).

Continuous Improvement and Adaptation

• Strategy: Continuously seek feedback on your presentation skills and content, and be open to incorporating changes and improvements.
• Research Insight: Reflective practice and adaptation are essential for skill enhancement in legal practice (Source: “The Professional Lawyer”).

Designing impactful legal presentations is a skill that combines narrative construction, effective visualization, audience engagement, and adaptability. Staying informed about the latest research and trends in legal communication and presentation, and continuously refining your approach based on feedback and self-assessment, are crucial for delivering persuasive and effective legal presentations.

Creating Persuasive Legal Arguments Visually

Visualizing legal arguments and evidence effectively is crucial in persuading and engaging audiences. Here’s how to employ visual techniques to enhance the persuasiveness of legal presentations.

Techniques for Visualizing Legal Arguments

• Application: Illustrate the sequence of events or legal processes with timelines and flowcharts. They can simplify complex narratives or procedures.
• Research Insight: Cognitive studies show that timelines aid in chronological comprehension and recall, making them effective in legal contexts (Source: “Cognitive Psychology and its Implications”).
• Application: Convert complex data sets into infographics. This includes using bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs to represent statistical data.
• Research Insight: Infographics are proven to enhance understanding by simplifying complex information into digestible visual formats (Source: “Information Visualization”).
• Application: Utilize diagrams to explain relationships between entities or illustrate legal concepts and schematics for demonstrating technical aspects of a case.
• Research Insight: Diagrams are effective in breaking down and visually organizing complex information, improving comprehension (Source: “Journal of Educational Psychology”).

Enhancing Evidence Presentation Visually

• Application: Highlight key parts of documents or evidence through callouts or visual annotations.
• Research Insight: Visual enhancements can draw attention to and increase the memorability of important evidence (Source: “Law and Human Behavior”).
• Application: Use 3D models or animated reconstructions to recreate scenes, particularly useful in criminal or civil litigation involving complex scenarios.
• Research Insight: Scene reconstructions can provide a clearer, more tangible understanding of verbal descriptions, aiding in juror comprehension (Source: “Journal of Forensic Sciences”).

Best Practices in Visual Legal Arguments

• Application: Ensure all visual elements are professionally designed, clear, and easy to understand. Avoid clutter and prioritize information hierarchy.
• Research Insight: Clarity in visual design is key to effective communication, as per principles of visual perception (Source: “The Design of Everyday Things”).
• Application: Maintain accuracy and avoid misleading representations in visual presentations. All visuals should be a true and fair representation of facts.
• Research Insight: Ethical visual representation is crucial in maintaining credibility and trust in legal proceedings (Source: “Journal of Legal Ethics”).
• Application: Test your visual arguments in mock trials or focus groups to gauge their effectiveness and impact.
• Research Insight: Mock trials provide valuable feedback, allowing for adjustments to increase persuasiveness and clarity (Source: “American Psychology-Law Society”).

Effective visualization of legal arguments and evidence involves a strategic combination of clarity, ethical considerations, and an understanding of how visuals impact perception and comprehension. Adhering to best practices in visual communication and staying informed about research in this field are essential for creating persuasive and impactful legal presentations.

Use of Trial Graphics and Multimedia in Legal Presentations

Incorporating graphics, videos, and other multimedia elements into legal presentations can significantly enhance their effectiveness. Here’s a detailed guide on the best practices for their use, supported by research insights.

Incorporating Graphics in Legal Presentations

• Application: Use trial graphics to visually represent complex information, such as timelines, process flowcharts, and organizational structures.
• Best Practice: Ensure graphics are professionally designed, clear, and directly relevant to the case. Avoid clutter and focus on key information.
• Application: Employ bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs for statistical data presentation. They can simplify complex numerical data for better understanding.
• Research Insight: Visual representations of data are more easily processed and remembered than textual descriptions, as per the Picture Superiority Effect (Source: “Educational Psychology Review”).

Implementing Video and Multimedia

• Application: Utilize video evidence where applicable, such as surveillance footage or reenactments.
• Best Practice: Present videos with context and explanation. Ensure video quality is high and relevant sections are highlighted.
• Application: Use multimedia elements like animations or interactive displays for complex evidence, such as accident reconstructions or technical processes.
• Research Insight: Multimedia presentations can enhance understanding by catering to different learning styles and keeping the audience engaged (Source: “Journal of Applied Psychology”).

Ethical Considerations in Using Graphics and Multimedia

• Application: All visuals, including graphs and videos, must accurately represent the evidence and not mislead the court.
• Best Practice: Verify the accuracy of all visual representations and ensure they align with ethical standards of legal practice.

Best Practices for Presentation

• Application: Seamlessly integrate graphics and multimedia into the overall presentation. They should complement and reinforce the oral argument, not distract from it.
• Best Practice: Practice the timing and transitions of multimedia elements within the presentation to ensure smooth delivery.
• Application: Tailor the complexity and style of multimedia elements to the audience, whether it’s a jury, a judge, or a client.
• Best Practice: Consider the audience’s familiarity with the subject matter and adjust the level of detail and technicality in your visuals accordingly.
• Application: Test the effectiveness of graphics and multimedia in mock trials or focus groups. Gather feedback on their clarity and impact.
• Best Practice: Use the feedback to refine visual elements and ensure they effectively communicate the intended message.

Effectively using trial graphics and multimedia in legal presentations requires a thoughtful blend of clear design, ethical representation, audience adaptation, and integration with the overall case narrative.

Staying informed about the latest research in legal communication and technology, and continuously refining presentation techniques based on feedback, are key to enhancing the persuasive power of legal arguments.

Section 3: Using Tech To Enhance Legal Presentations

Embracing technology in legal presentations is essential for modern-day legal practice.

This section outlines how various technological tools can be effectively integrated into legal presentations, supported by research and best practices.

Latest Presentation Tools and Software for Legal Presentations

The use of advanced tools and software is integral in creating effective legal presentations. This section provides an overview of the best current tools and software specifically designed for or applicable to legal presentations, along with their key features and potential applications.

PowerPoint and Prezi for Basic Presentations

• Features: Offers a wide range of templates, customizable animations, and the ability to embed multimedia elements.
• Application: Ideal for standard legal presentations, opening statements, and closing arguments. Its ease of use and widespread familiarity make it a staple in legal settings.
• Research Insight: Studies indicate that familiar tools like PowerPoint can effectively aid in information retention when used appropriately (Source: “Journal of Educational Psychology”).
• Features: Known for its dynamic and non-linear presentation style. Offers zooming capabilities and a canvas-like approach for presenting ideas.
• Application: Useful for creating more engaging and interactive presentations, particularly when a narrative or story-like format is beneficial.
• Research Insight: Research on presentation tools suggests that dynamic and visually engaging content can enhance audience engagement (Source: “Computers & Education”).

Legal-specific Presentation Software

• Features: Specialized for trial presentations, offering functionalities like evidence management, exhibit presentation, and sophisticated organization tools.
• Application: Essential for trials involving a large volume of documents and multimedia evidence, allowing for efficient presentation and retrieval during proceedings.
• Features: Provides comprehensive litigation support, including document management, video clipping, and trial presentation capabilities.
• Application: Suitable for presenting complex litigation cases where integrating documents, videos, and exhibits is key.

Emerging Technologies for Advanced Presentations

• Application: VR and AR are increasingly being explored for legal presentations, offering immersive experiences such as virtual crime scene walkthroughs or accident reconstructions.
• Research Insight: Emerging research suggests that VR and AR can provide juries and judges with a more tangible understanding of spatial and situational aspects (Source: “Law, Technology and Humans”).
• Application: Technologies such as touch screen monitors and interactive whiteboards can make presentations more engaging and interactive.
• Research Insight: Studies show that interactive displays can significantly enhance comprehension and engagement in legal contexts (Source: “International Journal of Human-Computer Studies”).
• Application: With the rise of remote hearings and meetings, mastering these platforms for effective remote legal presentations is essential.
• Best Practices: High-quality audio/visual setup and proficiency in using platform features (like screen sharing) are crucial for effective presentations.

Staying abreast of the latest presentation tools and software is crucial for legal professionals to enhance the effectiveness of their arguments and presentations.

From classic tools like PowerPoint to more advanced options like VR and interactive displays, each tool offers unique benefits that can be leveraged in various legal contexts.

Continuous learning and adaptation to these technologies, guided by ongoing research and practical application, are key to effective legal communication in the digital era.

Interactive Elements for Engaging Presentations in Legal Contexts

Incorporating interactive elements into legal presentations, especially during lengthy trials or extensive client meetings, can significantly enhance engagement and comprehension. Here’s how to effectively integrate these elements, supported by relevant research.

Implementing Interactive Technologies

• Tools like Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere: These can be used to gather instant audience feedback, making sessions more interactive and engaging.
• Application: Particularly useful in client meetings or legal seminars for gauging audience understanding and tailoring the presentation accordingly.
• Research Insight: According to studies in educational psychology, real-time feedback mechanisms can enhance engagement and retention of information (Source: “Journal of Educational Psychology”).
• Application: Utilize digital platforms that allow audience interaction with evidence or presentation materials, such as touchscreen exhibits or interactive timelines.
• Best Practice: Ensure that these tools are user-friendly and enhance, rather than complicate, the understanding of the case.

Enhancing Participation and Engagement

• Strategy: Incorporate Q&A segments to allow for audience participation, clarification of points, and deeper engagement with the material.
• Application: Effective in both client meetings and legal seminars, fostering a two-way communication channel.
• Application: In seminars or training sessions, use breakout sessions or workshops where participants can discuss case studies or hypothetical scenarios in smaller groups.
• Research Insight: Active participation in learning activities is linked to higher engagement and better comprehension (Source: “Harvard Business Review”).

Leveraging Multimedia Elements

• Application: Use short videos or animations to explain complex legal concepts or to summarize lengthy information.
• Best Practice: Keep multimedia elements concise and directly relevant to the topic to maintain focus and interest.
• Tools: Slideshows created with platforms like Prezi can include interactive elements such as zooming into details or clicking through to explore different aspects of a case.
• Application: Effective for presenting complex information in a more engaging and digestible format.

Preparing for Technology Use

• Strategy: Conduct thorough technical rehearsals to ensure smooth operation of interactive elements during the actual presentation.
• Best Practice: Familiarize yourself with the technology beforehand to handle any issues that may arise during the presentation.
• Best Practice: Ensure that the use of interactive elements maintains the professional and serious nature of legal matters.
• Ethical Consideration: Be mindful of not oversimplifying or misrepresenting complex legal issues through interactive elements.

Integrating interactive elements into legal presentations requires a careful balance of technology, audience engagement, and clear communication.

When executed well, these elements can transform complex legal information into more accessible, engaging, and memorable experiences.

Continuous learning and adaptation to new technologies and methodologies are vital for legal professionals to effectively communicate in dynamic legal settings.

Section 4: Preparing for Different Stages of Litigation and the Role of Presentations

Effective litigation involves distinct preparation strategies for each stage, with presentations playing a crucial role. This section outlines how to tailor presentations for different stages of litigation, supported by relevant research.

Preparing for Initial Pleadings and Pre-Trial Motions

• Visual Summaries: Utilize visual summaries, such as timelines or infographics, to clarify the key points of your case in pleadings.
• Research Insight: Visual information aids in better comprehension and retention, a principle supported by the Dual Coding Theory (Source: “Educational Psychology Review”).
• Concise Presentations: Create precise and to-the-point presentations to support your pre-trial motions, focusing on the legal arguments and necessary evidence.
• Data Visualization: Implement data visualization for complex statistical information to make it more accessible for the judge.

Discovery Stage

• Evidence Management Tools: Use tools like TrialDirector for organizing and presenting evidence, facilitating efficient and clear presentations during depositions.
• Interactive Evidence Displays: Prepare interactive evidence presentations, especially for complex cases, to engage the opposing counsel and the judge.

Trial Stage

• Engaging Storytelling: Incorporate storytelling techniques in opening and closing statements, using visuals to support the narrative.
• Dynamic Visuals: Use dynamic visuals, such as animated reconstructions or simulations, to illustrate key points in your arguments.
• Visual Aids for Witnesses: Provide witnesses with visual aids to help them convey their testimony more effectively.
• Multimedia Presentations: Utilize multimedia presentations, combining text, imagery, and audio-visuals, to present complex evidence in a more comprehensible manner.

Post-Trial and Appeals

• Post-Trial Analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis of the trial presentations to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Continuous Improvement: Use feedback from the trial to refine your presentation strategies for future cases.
• Visual Summaries for Appellate Courts: Develop clear and concise visual summaries of key trial points for appellate courts, focusing on areas of legal contention.

Adapting to Each Stage

• Audience Adaptation: Tailor your presentation style and content according to the audience at each stage, whether it’s a judge, jury, or opposing counsel.
• Technology Utilization: Adapt the use of technology and visuals based on the requirements and formalities of each stage.
• Legal Communication Research: Stay informed about the latest research in legal communication and presentation techniques to enhance the effectiveness of your presentations at each stage.
• Best Practice Guidelines: Follow best practice guidelines for legal presentations, adapting them to suit the specific demands of each litigation stage.

Preparing effective presentations for different stages of litigation requires a strategic approach, tailored to the specific demands and audience of each stage.

From initial pleadings to appeals, the use of visuals, storytelling, and clear communication can significantly impact the effectiveness of legal arguments. 

Continuously updating these skills, informed by ongoing research and best practices, is key to success in various stages of litigation.

Section 4.1: Opening Statements and Closing Arguments: Crafting Compelling Presentations with Visual Aids

Opening statements and closing arguments are critical phases in litigation, where the effective use of visual aids can significantly enhance the persuasiveness of your case.

Here’s a detailed guide on crafting these statements with visual support, backed by relevant research.

Crafting Opening Statements

• Strategy: Use the opening statement to set the narrative tone of the case. This involves not just outlining the facts but also framing them within a compelling story.
• Visual Aids: Integrate timelines, diagrams, or key images to visually support this narrative. For instance, a timeline can succinctly convey the sequence of events.
• Research Insight: According to the narrative persuasion theory, people are more likely to be persuaded when information is presented in a story-like format (Source: “Journal of Consumer Research”).
• Application: Use visuals that complement the story of the case, making it more relatable and memorable for the jury or judge.

Developing Closing Arguments

• Strategy: The closing argument should summarize the key points of the case and reinforce the narrative established in the opening statement.
• Visual Recaps: Use visuals to recall evidence presented earlier in the trial. This can include revisiting diagrams, graphs, or key photographs.
• Research Insight: Research in legal communication suggests that a blend of emotional appeal and logical reasoning can be effective in closing arguments (Source: “Psychology, Public Policy, and Law”).
• Application: Pair emotional appeals with logical visual data, such as graphs showing statistical evidence, to create a balanced and persuasive argument.

Integrating Visual Aids

• Best Practice: Choose visuals that directly relate to and enhance the key points of your argument. Avoid irrelevant or overly complex graphics.
• Simplicity and Clarity: Ensure that visuals are simple, clear, and professional. They should aid in understanding rather than distract.
• Accuracy and Fairness: Visual aids must accurately represent factual information and should not be used to mislead the court.
• Legal Compliance: Ensure that all visuals comply with the courtroom’s rules and standards.
• Rehearsal: Practice your statement with visual aids to master the flow and timing. Ensure seamless integration of visuals into the spoken narrative.
• Technical Aspects: Check the technical setup beforehand to avoid any glitches during the presentation.

Effectively integrating visual aids into opening statements and closing arguments can profoundly impact the persuasiveness of your case.

By crafting a compelling narrative, supported by strategically chosen visuals, and blending emotional and logical appeals, you can significantly enhance the impact of your arguments.

Continuous refinement of these skills, guided by research and best practices in legal communication, is essential for successful advocacy in the courtroom.

Section 4.2: Presenting Evidence and Expert Testimonies

Effectively presenting evidence and preparing expert witnesses are crucial aspects of legal advocacy. Here’s how to approach these tasks, supported by relevant research and best practices.

Effective Presentation of Evidence

• Strategy: Organize evidence in a logical order that aligns with your case narrative. Use visual aids like charts or diagrams to simplify complex data.
• Research Insight: Studies in legal communication emphasize the importance of clarity and order in presenting evidence for better juror comprehension (Source: “Journal of Empirical Legal Studies”).
• Tools: Use high-quality visuals, including photographs, videos, or digital recreations, to enhance the understanding of physical evidence.
• Best Practice: Ensure that visuals are clear, accurate, and professionally presented to maintain credibility.

Preparing and Presenting Expert Testimonies

• Criteria for Selection: Choose experts not only for their expertise but also for their ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Mock Examinations: Conduct mock examinations to prepare the expert for both direct and cross-examinations.
• Supportive Graphics: Create graphics, diagrams, or models that experts can refer to during their testimony. This helps in illustrating complex concepts.
• Research Insight: Visual aids can significantly enhance the effectiveness of expert testimony by aiding in the explanation of technical information (Source: “Law and Human Behavior”).

Balancing Detail and Accessibility

• Strategy: Provide enough detail to establish credibility, but avoid overwhelming the audience with excessive technical jargon or data.
• Best Practice: Break down complex ideas into simpler terms and use examples or analogies to make the testimony more accessible.
• Simplification: Simplify technical testimony without losing its essence. This can involve summarizing key points in layman’s terms.
• Interactive Elements: Use interactive elements like clickable diagrams or animations to explain technical aspects interactively.

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• Accuracy and Objectivity: Ensure all evidence and expert testimonies are presented accurately and objectively, without misrepresentation.
• Adherence to Legal Standards: Comply with legal standards for presenting evidence and expert testimony, ensuring ethical integrity.

Presenting evidence and expert testimonies effectively requires a strategic combination of clear communication, visual enhancement, and thorough preparation.

Adhering to best practices in organizing and simplifying evidence, coupled with effective preparation of expert witnesses, is key to making complex information accessible and persuasive in legal settings.

Continuously updating these skills based on current research and evolving legal standards is essential for effective legal advocacy.

Section 5: Case Studies and Best Practices in Legal Presentations

Examining case studies and adopting best practices are invaluable for honing legal presentation skills. This section outlines key examples and strategies that have proven effective in various legal contexts, supported by relevant research.

Real-Life Examples: Analysis of Successful Legal Presentations

Analyzing successful legal presentations from notable cases can provide invaluable insights into effective advocacy strategies. This section examines specific cases, highlighting the presentation techniques that contributed to their success.

1. O.J. Simpson Trial: The Power of Narrative and Visuals

• Case Overview: The O.J. Simpson murder trial is renowned for its impactful use of narrative and visual aids by the defense team.
• Presentation Techniques: The defense crafted a compelling narrative around the evidence, famously using the phrase “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” during the glove demonstration.
• Research Insight: This case exemplifies the narrative persuasion theory, where storytelling, combined with powerful visual demonstrations, can significantly influence jury decisions (Source: “Psychology of Popular Media Culture”).

2. Enron Scandal: Simplifying Complex Information

• Case Overview: The Enron trial involved complex financial data and required simplifying intricate information for the jury.
• Presentation Techniques: The prosecution used clear, simplified charts and graphs to explain the financial machinations, making the complex data understandable to laypersons.
• Research Insight: Simplifying complex information using visual aids aligns with cognitive load theory, enhancing understanding and retention (Source: “Educational Psychology Review”).

3. Apple v. Samsung: Effective Use of Visual Evidence

• Case Overview: This landmark intellectual property case hinged on the effective presentation of design similarities between products.
• Presentation Techniques: Apple’s legal team used direct side-by-side visual comparisons of the products to highlight the similarities.
• Research Insight: Visual comparisons in legal presentations can provide clear, persuasive evidence, as shown in studies on visual learning (Source: “Journal of Visual Literacy”).

4. Brown v. Board of Education: Persuasive Legal Argumentation

• Case Overview: This historic Supreme Court case required a deep understanding of legal principles and persuasive argumentation.
• Presentation Techniques: Thurgood Marshall and his team presented a compelling legal argument, heavily backed by social science research and legal precedents.
• Research Insight: The case highlights the importance of comprehensive legal research and the use of data to support legal arguments (Source: “Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review”).
• Case Overview: The Casey Anthony trial centered on the disappearance of Anthony’s daughter and involved strong emotional appeals.
• Presentation Techniques: The defense used a counter-narrative strategy and emotional appeals to create doubt among jurors.
• Research Insight: Emotional appeals, when combined with a plausible counter-narrative, can be effective in swaying jury decisions (Source: “Journal of Law and Human Behavior”).

These real-life examples demonstrate the effectiveness of various presentation strategies in legal cases.

From the use of narratives and visual aids to the simplification of complex information and the strategic use of emotional appeals, these cases provide valuable lessons for legal professionals.

Continuous study of such cases and adaptation of their strategies, guided by ongoing legal research, are essential for enhancing courtroom presentation skills.

Tips from Legal Presentation Experts

Gaining insights from legal presentation experts can significantly enhance the effectiveness of courtroom advocacy. Below are some key tips and strategies, along with research-backed explanations, for creating impactful legal presentations.

1. Emphasis on Clear Narrative Structure

• Expert Advice: Structure your presentation with a clear, compelling narrative. A well-organized story helps the audience follow and remember the key points of the case.
• Research Insight: Narrative structures are known to aid in information retention and persuasion, as per studies in legal communication (Source: “Journal of Legal Writing Institute”).

2. Strategic Use of Visual Aids

• Expert Advice: Use visual aids strategically to reinforce and clarify your arguments. This includes timelines, diagrams, and charts.
• Best Practices: Visuals should be professionally designed, easy to understand, and directly relevant to the point being made.
• Research Insight: Visual aids enhance comprehension and retention, as shown in cognitive psychology research (Source: “Educational Psychology Review”).

3. Simplification of Complex Information

• Expert Advice: Break down complex legal concepts into simpler, digestible segments. Use analogies or common language to explain intricate legal issues.
• Application: Particularly important when dealing with juries or non-specialist audiences.
• Research Insight: Simplification and use of analogies improve understanding, as supported by findings in legal pedagogy (Source: “Harvard Law Review”).

4. Engaging Presentation Style

• Expert Advice: Develop an engaging presentation style, using voice modulation, body language, and eye contact to keep the audience engaged.
• Research Insight: Effective delivery styles are known to influence persuasiveness and audience engagement (Source: “Psychology, Public Policy, and Law”).

5. Preparing for Audience Questions

• Expert Advice: Anticipate and prepare for potential questions. This includes not only understanding your material but also considering opposing viewpoints.
• Best Practices: Rehearse responses to potential questions to remain poised and confident during the presentation.

6. Continuous Learning and Adaptation

• Expert Advice: Stay updated with the latest trends and research in legal presentations. Continuously seek feedback and look for areas of improvement.
• Research Insight: Ongoing professional development and adaptation are key in maintaining effective legal advocacy (Source: “The Professional Lawyer”).
• Expert Advice: Maintain high ethical standards in presentations. Ensure that all information and visuals accurately represent the factual and legal aspects of the case.
• Research Insight: Ethical presentation practices build credibility and trust, essential in the legal profession (Source: “Journal of the Legal Profession”).

Implementing these expert tips, grounded in legal communication research, can significantly improve the effectiveness of legal presentations.

From crafting a clear narrative to using visual aids and simplifying complex information, these strategies are essential for persuasive and impactful legal advocacy.

Continuous learning and ethical adherence are fundamental to sustaining success in legal presentations.

Your case deserves great slides.

Conclusion: Synthesizing Strategies for Impactful Legal Presentations

In concluding this comprehensive exploration of legal presentations, it’s crucial to synthesize the key strategies and insights that contribute to successful legal advocacy.

This synthesis not only encapsulates the essence of effective presentations but also underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation, supported by ongoing research.

Integration of Key Strategies

• Importance: A clear and engaging narrative is fundamental in legal presentations. It aids in structuring complex information into a coherent story that is understandable and memorable.
• Research Insight: Narrative structures are linked to enhanced information retention and persuasion, as evidenced in studies in legal and psychological fields (Source: “Journal of Legal Studies”).
• Effectiveness: Strategic use of visual aids, including timelines, charts, and interactive elements, significantly enhances the clarity and impact of legal arguments.
• Research Insight: Visual learning principles suggest that incorporating visual aids can improve understanding and retention (Source: “Educational Psychology Review”).
• Approach: Breaking down complex legal concepts into simpler terms is key, especially when addressing non-expert audiences like juries.
• Research Insight: Simplification techniques align with cognitive load theory, emphasizing the importance of making information easily digestible (Source: “Cognitive Science”).

Emphasizing Ethical and Professional Standards

• Necessity: Maintaining ethical integrity in presentations is non-negotiable. This includes accurate representation of facts and adherence to legal standards.
• Professional Impact: Ethical presentation practices are fundamental to building credibility and trust in the legal profession (Source: “Journal of the Legal Profession”).

The Role of Continuous Learning and Adaptation

• Professional Growth: Engage in continuous learning to stay abreast of the latest trends, technologies, and research in legal presentations.
• Adaptability: Adapt presentation strategies to evolving legal practices and audience expectations, ensuring relevance and effectiveness.
• Incorporating Insights: Regularly incorporate insights from new research and feedback from peers, mentors, and audiences to refine presentation skills.
• Staying Informed: Stay informed about developments in legal communication and presentation technology to enhance effectiveness and adaptability.

Effective legal presentations are a dynamic amalgamation of narrative crafting, visual augmentation, complexity simplification, and ethical practice, all underpinned by continuous learning and adaptability. Embracing these elements, informed by ongoing research and feedback, is essential for legal professionals seeking to excel in persuasive legal advocacy.

The ability to convey complex legal arguments in an accessible, engaging, and ethically sound manner is not just a skill but an ongoing commitment to professional excellence in the legal field.

Continual Learning and Adaptation in Legal Presentations

The legal field, especially in the context of presentations and advocacy, is continually evolving. Staying updated with the latest trends, technologies, and research in legal presentations is not just advantageous but imperative for effective practice. This section emphasizes the importance of continual learning and adaptation, supported by research and practical applications.

Embracing Technological Advancements

• Necessity: Regularly update knowledge about new presentation technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and advanced legal software tools.
• Research Insight: Emerging technologies have been shown to enhance the understanding and engagement of legal presentations (Source: “Law, Technology and Humans”).
• Application: Incorporate digital tools for case management, evidence organization, and presentation.
• Practical Benefit: These tools can significantly improve the efficiency and clarity of legal presentations.

Keeping Up with Presentation Trends

• Observation: Stay informed about the latest trends in legal communication, including storytelling techniques, use of visuals, and audience engagement strategies.
• Research Insight: Studies in legal rhetoric and communication highlight the importance of evolving communication strategies to meet audience expectations (Source: “Journal of Legal Writing Institute”).
• Flexibility: Adapt presentation styles to suit different contexts, such as virtual courtrooms, in-person trials, and client meetings.
• Professional Development: Engage in workshops, webinars, and CLE (Continuing Legal Education) courses focusing on presentation skills and new legal technologies.
• Review of Literature: Regularly review academic and professional literature on legal presentations to integrate evidence-based practices.
• Application: Apply research findings to enhance the effectiveness and persuasiveness of legal presentations.
• Seeking Feedback: Actively seek feedback on presentation techniques from peers, mentors, or through client reviews.
• Reflective Practice: Engage in reflective practice to assess the strengths and weaknesses of past presentations and to identify areas for improvement.
• Participation: Join legal networks and associations to share experiences, learn from peers, and stay informed about industry changes.
• Collaborative Learning: Benefit from collaborative learning opportunities that these networks provide.

Introducing Viktori.co: Pioneering The Legal Presentation Service for Winning Legal Outcomes

Harnessing the power of professional trial presentation services.

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Why Choose Viktori.co for Your Trial Presentation Needs

• Tailored Trial Graphics: Our team of professional consultants and technicians excel in creating custom trial graphics and digital exhibits that resonate with juries and judges alike.
• Advanced Technology Services: We leverage the latest technology services to ensure that every courtroom presentation is dynamic, engaging, and persuasive.
• All-Encompassing Support: From deposition to document management, our litigation support services cover every aspect of trial preparation.
• Client-Centric Approach: We work closely with each client, understanding their unique needs and crafting legal support strategies that align with their litigation objectives.
• Innovative Digital Solutions: Our digital solutions are at the forefront of trial techs, ensuring that every legal presentation is backed by cutting-edge digital capabilities.
• Seamless Integration of Technology: We integrate technology seamlessly into the legal process, from videography to digital exhibit management.
• Adaptable to Various Litigation Contexts: Whether it’s a complex civil litigation or a high-stakes criminal trial, our trial presentation services are adaptable and effective.
• Collaborative Trial Team Effort: We believe in a collaborative approach, working as an extension of your trial team to deliver unparalleled legal support and presentation services.

Ready to elevate your legal presentations and gain a competitive edge in the courtroom? Get started with Viktori.co and experience the difference that professional trial presentation services can make in achieving winning outcomes for your firm and clients. As a leading consultant in trial presentation and litigation support, we are committed to delivering top-tier legal presentation solutions that drive success.

With Viktori.co, embrace the synergy of technology, expertise, and innovative presentation strategies in your next trial. Reach out to us to learn more about our services and how we can be a vital part of your legal success story.

Additional Resources for Legal Presentations

Educational materials and further reading.

• “ Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges ” by Antonin Scalia and Bryan A. Garner: A highly recommended guide on legal argumentation.
• “ Legal Writing in Plain English” by Bryan A. Garner : Focuses on clarity and effectiveness in legal writing, directly applicable to presentation skills.
• The Journal of Legal Writing Institute: Offers articles on various aspects of legal communication and presentation.
• Harvard Law Review: Provides insights into the latest legal theories and practices, useful for understanding contemporary legal arguments.

Workshops, Seminars, and Training Programs

• Local Bar Associations: Often offer CLE courses on legal presentation and communication skills.
• National Legal Associations: Such as the American Bar Association, regularly host seminars and workshops on legal advocacy and presentation.

Online Learning Platforms

• Platforms like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning: Offer courses on public speaking, presentation skills, and legal-specific subjects.
• Legal Webinars: Many legal software providers and legal education organizations host webinars focusing on presentation techniques and the use of technology in law.

Professional Networks and Legal Forums

• Participation in Discussions: Engage in discussions on platforms like the Legal Talk Network or law-related forums on Reddit and LinkedIn.
• Networking Opportunities: Attend conferences and networking events to learn from experienced practitioners and stay updated on best practices.

Accessing and utilizing these resources can significantly enhance legal presentation skills. From mastering software tools to engaging in continuous learning through books, journals, and CLE courses, each resource plays a critical role in developing effective legal communication strategies. Additionally, participating in professional networks and staying informed about the latest trends and research are indispensable practices for any legal professional aiming to excel in advocacy.

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The Art and Science of Powerful Legal Presentations

Why is it hard to make captivating presentations? The basic problem is that many times, presenters fail to consider their audience. As an attorney or litigation support professional, you can spend hours and hours digging through the minutia of a matter to find the most important or damning pieces of evidence. After all of that hard work, it’s tempting to want to show a jury, judge, arbitrator, regulator, or other audience everything you have found. However, behavior scientists have found that in compelling presentations, nothing turns an audience off like too much information.

The Trial Presentation Blues

Research has shown that that immediately after a 10-minute presentation, listeners only remembered 50 percent of what was said. By the next day that had dropped to 25 percent, and a week later it was 10 percent. But you can’t blame your audience if they fail to absorb information. It just means you haven’t been able to make your presentation compelling. So what does work? To start, a multi-media presentation is going to be more effective than a lecture. Science has found that very little information is retained if it is only heard. The same is true if it’s only seen. However, anywhere from 50 percent all the way to 2/3 of content is remembered if the information is contained in an audio AND visual presentation. Things that science has proven increase retention:

And, of course, repetition. And repetition…. you get the point. Things science has shown does not increase retention:

• Raw information

When bullet points are necessary, keep them short and punchy, like this:

• Have excellent visual aids
• Repeat core themes
• Simple, simple, simple

So, what does this mean in practice? How can you put these insights into practice and win your audience’s attention?

Keep it Simple

Your presentation is for the benefit of the audience. But boring an audience with bullet point after bullet point is of little benefit to them and some of your best slides may have no text at all. It is ok to add some bullet point slides throughout your presentation, but keep the bullets simple and limit the number of bullets to no more than six per slide.

Use Powerful Images

You should also use high-quality quality images, such as simple icons or high resolution photo images. (The Nextpoint Client Success team can always assist with directing you to online resources for finding high-quality images.)

Make it Pop

Consider how you use color and movement. When using color to highlight key text, it is important that you don’t go overboard on one slide and have too many highlights. Also some animation is a good thing, but stick to the most subtle and professional animations. A simple Wipe Left-to-Right from the Animations menu in PowerPoint is good for a bullet point, but a Move or Fly, for example, can be too tedious and slow.

How to Start Wowing Your Legal Audience

The first rule of legal presentations is Don’t Be Generic . For example, you know that jurors have seen a standard-issue template like the one below about a bazillion times.

When using generic templates with little personality, you risk losing your audience’s attention. Instead, try some simple customization and color to make them stand out and hold attention. Some simple customization including curved edges, color contrast, gradients, and better fonts for more readable slides. One important first step to ensuring your presentations are not generic is simply to have good Master slides. This is the foundation of a good visual presentation.

One Slide to Rule Them All

Anything you’d like to appear on ALL slides should be placed onto the top level master slide. Usually this will be your background color or image, slide title placeholder, footer placeholder and page number. Anything you’d like to appear on a specific slide type layout should be placed on the corresponding master layout slide. This may include text placeholders, image placeholders and/or accent boxes. Custom color palettes can also be created within Master View. Once your master slide layouts are in place, exit Master View to return to slide edit mode. See the images below for instructions on how to use your layouts to start building slides.

However, once you have a good master slide, don’t rely on it too heavily or your audience will get bored quickly. As I mentioned, good stock images (NOT cheap clip art), simple icons, and short punchy text will go a long way to making your presentation memorable. If you only have a couple bullet slides, consider using icons instead of plain circle or square bullets for additional visual impact.

These are the basic outlines of a smart presentation strategy. You can find a lot more tips on the Nextpoint blog . Most of these are simple tips, but when taken together, they deliver professional, polished presentations that make sure your audience understands and retains what you’re trying to tell them. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Erinn Lawber is the Art Director for Nextpoint’s Client Success team. She has been with Nextpoint since 2006 and has contributed quality presentation design to countless trials, arbitrations, hearings over the past 8 years.

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Legal Presentation Skills Guide

Presentation skills are core life skills, but they are doubly important if you wish to practise as a lawyer. You will use presentation skills in a variety of different ways, including:

• to persuade
• to get a message across

Within a professional context:

• in an interview
• in a lecture room
• in a meeting or conference

About this resource

This resource will help you develop effective presentation skills in a legal context.

Work through the material and exercises and you should be able to:

• develop appropriate learning strategies to enhance your presentation skills
• learn and apply the three key rules of presenting
• use presentation skills effectively in advocacy and questioning

Module Contents

Learning presentation skills.

• Not just words
• Preparation, preparation, preparation

The rule of three

Presentation skills in a legal context, questioning, top 10 tips.

Unfortunately sitting there listening to a lecturer all day will not render you competent at presentation. Like most other skills, presentation skills are acquired through practice, and practice is most productive if accompanied by good preparation and followed by honest evaluation and feedback.

Try it yourself! Get together with one or more other students and try this:

• Without letting anyone else see, one of you sketches a picture of a scene, for example, a road traffic accident or a crime taking place. (Time allotted: 5 minutes).
• Now, the sketcher helps someone else to recreate the same scene, including as much detail as possible without showing them the original sketch. This requires good descriptive and presenting skills. (Time allotted: 10 minutes).
• Compare the finished sketches.
• Repeat the exercise with someone else sketching a different picture. This time, you may share the original sketch while the second person tries to recreate it.
• Discuss how the results differ. What have you learnt about effective presentation?

There are three essential rules about presentation:

• Words are not the only tool

Words are not the only (or even the best) tool

Research shows that when presented with information, we take in 55% of it from visuals, 38% from spoken words and 7% from printed words. So, just like the old adage, “a picture paints a thousand words”, try to use visual aids whenever possible. This is why lawyers use exhibits in documents and in court to help them prove points.

Been to a play where the actors had forgotten their lines? What was your immediate impression? That's why preparation is so important.

Some of the most memorable speeches in history have been the best prepared ones. Winston Churchill spent six weeks preparing, refining and rehearsing his maiden speech to the House of Commons in 1901, and then wowed his fellow MPs with a prefect memorised delivery on the day.

Good preparation involves:

• knowing the contents of your presentation
• having a well laid out plan
• refining and rehearsing the presentation before the real event.

People cannot remember too much information at any one time. Most of your audience will only remember three key things from your presentation, so plan for what these will be.

• Julius Caesar's “Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears…”
• “Location, location, location” when buying property
• Churchill's “I can promise you blood, sweat, toil and tears” (usually quoted as the “Blood, Sweat & Tears” speech).

Top tip: Remember, the rule of three when it comes to presentations is:

• The rule of three.

Try it yourself! Think of a presentation you will need to make in the near future. Prepare for that presentation using the rule of three.

Essentially an advocate's task is one of presenting, as they need to:

• be heard (engage and maintain the audience's interest)
• get the message across (select the right contents and emphasis)
• persuade the audience to accept the view advocated.

Aristotle identified three elements of persuasion:

• Ethos: the speaker has to convince the audience that he or she is credible, trustworthy, genuine and believable.
• Pathos: the speech must appeal to the emotions, so that the audience is psychologically inclined to accept the arguments.
• Logos: the arguments must be reasoned, and supported by law and fact.

Advocates must consider these key points when presenting:

Addressing the audience

Body language.

Whether your audience is a judge, a jury, a group of lay magistrates or the Lords of Appeal, you always need to be clear and convincing. Consider who your audience is and tailor your presentation to make sure they will follow all your nuances and inferences.

Make sure you have prepared well, and have a structured and organised argument. Use notes and mind maps as prompts if you need them but remember that you will lose voice projection and eye contact if you are read from a speech. Presenting is not a test of fluency of reading. You should conduct yourself as an advocate, not a newsreader.

Everybody presents in a slightly different way and should find a personal style you are comfortable with. Try to be honest, sincere and authoritative (though you do not always need to be right). Try not to be pompous or arrogant. Ultimately, be yourself, an accomplished advocate, rather than an automaton.

Cultivate the art of fine speaking and the power of persuasion. Make sure you use appropriate and simple language (complex language can obscure the message) and keep your role and audience in mind. Where appropriate, use active language rather than passive phrases and make use of questions, emotion and repetition. Consider the pace of your presentation and include pauses for effect if required.

Be sure to consider your appearance, posture and performance when you are presenting. Different stances can communicate confidence or make you look like a bag of nerves. Think about how you interact with other people in the presentation, and the signals your appearance and behaviour may be sending.

Try it yourself! In no more than five minutes, try and persuade a friend to do something which they have never done before. How easy did you find that? What tactics worked well?

Questioning is the process by which the advocate elicits evidence from witnesses. It is used in two main situations:

• examination-in-chief: from own witnesses
• cross-examination: witnesses from the opposing party
• Keep your questions simple, even if the witnesses are familiar with the facts. This is especially relevant if there is a jury. Try to avoid the use of open questions unless you are questioning your own witness or an expert witness and you know they are reliable. You should be careful to avoid prejudicial effects or digression.
• Leading questions are forbidden in examination-in-chief, unless the advocates agree that the points are not contentious e.g. a name. This is to avoid bias, the suppression of other evidence or the chance of hearing something not delivered in the witness' own words. In cross-examination, however, nearly all questions are leading questions.
• Avoid using a rigid list of questions, though you should have a structured plan, and make sure you listen to the answers while you consider your next question.
• The most important rule is not to ask a question of which you do not know the answer!

Examination-in-chief

Examination-in-chief questions are now commonly written. If you pose them in court, make sure they are not too lengthy. You should structure your witnesses and their testimonies clearly. A chronological approach is the norm, though you can sometimes structure by topic.

Top tip: Examination-in-chief questions are the ‘W’ questions, where, what, who, when, why?

Remember that your witness will be cross-examined by the opposing counsel when you have finished your examination-in-chief and the judge may also question them.

Cross examination

Cross examination aims to test the vigour of opposing witnesses and obtain fresh evidence that is favourable to you. You should take an organised approach, without being too rigid and consider whether to structure your questions by topic or the chronological events.

Cross examination gives you an opportunity to attack the credibility of witnesses, both in general and related to specific issues. You should consider whether you wish to confront the witness at the start of your questioning, or lead them through a train of questions. However, if you discredit the witness in general you should be careful not to destroy your case.

Try to keep your questioning brief and finish on a conclusive point.

Top 10 tips for presentation success:

• Make sure you have prepared well , and have developed a clear, structured and organised argument.
• Consider who your audience is and tailor your presentation to their needs.
• Focus on three key messages that you want your audience to understand and remember.
• Don't try to be somebody else. Find a personal presenting style you are comfortable with.
• If you must use notes, do not read your presentation directly from them.
• Use images, charts, physical signals and pauses to help get your message across. Not just words.
• In examination-in-chief , focus on the ‘W’ questions, where, what, who, when, why?
• When cross-examining , develop a structured plan but avoid using a rigid list of questions.
• Make sure you listen to the answers while you consider your next question.
• Don't ask a question unless you know the answer.

Adding power to courtroom presentations http://www.trialtheater.com/wordpress/2008/courtroom-presentation-skills

Advocacy video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nhyFQ6S0VM

Draw a logic tree http://www.strategiccomm.com/logictree.html

Giving effective class presentations video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gXE19sh1r8

Killer presentation skills video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whTwjG4ZIJg

Oral presentation learning module http://www.jcu.edu.au/office/tld/learningskills/oral/

Positive and negative body language http://www.it-sudparis.eu/lsh/ressources/ops8.php

Public Speaking learning modules http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_public_speaking_2/

Speech Tips http://www.speechtips.com/

The Law Explored: The art of cross-examination http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/columnists/gary_slapper/article1960702.ece

4 Ways To Deliver Clear And Concise Legal Presentations That Achieve Your Objectives

The Art of Time Management

The Importance of Career Preparation in 2023

In the legal field, effective communication is key. Whether you are presenting a case in court or delivering a briefing to clients, the ability to provide clear and concise legal presentations is essential.

Legal presentations that are confusing, unorganised or filled with legal jargon can result in miscommunication, loss of credibility, and even loss of the case.

We have compiled four tips for delivering effective legal presentations to avoid these pitfalls and ensure your message is understood. Our tips cover everything from structuring your presentation to using visual aids to engage your audience. By following these tips, you can create compelling and engaging presentations to help you achieve your legal objectives.

Use Stories And Examples

Legal concepts can be complex and challenging to understand, especially for those outside the legal field. Stories and examples are a powerful way to simplify complex legal concepts and make your message more memorable.

You can help your audience understand how legal concepts apply to real-world situations by providing relatable and relevant examples. This can help them better understand your message and remember it long after the presentation is over.

To choose effective examples, it is important to consider your audience’s background and knowledge. Look for examples that they can relate to and understand, such as current events or popular culture references.

You can also use personal anecdotes or case studies to illustrate legal concepts and show how they have been applied in the past. By telling stories , you can make your message more engaging and easier to remember.

However, it is important to ensure that your examples are accurate and relevant to your message. Avoid using examples that are overly complex or unrelated to your topic.

Using stories and examples can be a powerful tool for simplifying complex legal concepts and making your message more memorable. By choosing relevant and relatable examples, you can engage your audience and help them better understand your message.

Practice And Rehearse

Effective legal presentations require practice and rehearsal to deliver a clear and confident message. Without adequate preparation, even the most experienced speakers can falter.

To prepare for a legal presentation, start by understanding your audience and their needs. Determine the key message you want to convey and the supporting points to help you achieve your objectives.

Create a detailed outline of your presentation and practice delivering it out loud. This will help you identify any areas that need improvement, such as confusing or convoluted language.

Use visual aids like slides or handouts to support your message and enhance audience engagement. Practice incorporating these aids seamlessly into your presentation.

Additionally, consider practising in front of a friend or colleague who can provide constructive feedback. This will help you refine your message and delivery before the actual presentation.

Remember, practice makes perfect. By dedicating time and effort to rehearsal, you can deliver a clear, confident legal presentation that achieves your objectives.

Use Effective Delivery Techniques

When delivering a legal presentation, your message can be greatly enhanced by using effective delivery techniques. These techniques include body language, voice modulation, and eye contact.

Body language can convey confidence, authority, and enthusiasm to your audience. Stand up straight, use appropriate gestures, and maintain eye contact to project a positive and engaging image.

Voice modulation can also greatly enhance your message. Varying the tone, pace, and volume of your voice can help to emphasise key points and maintain the interest of your audience.

Additionally, you can incorporate live polls from vevox.com during your presentation to engage your audience and encourage participation. Live polls can also provide valuable feedback and insights into audience preferences and opinions.

Maintaining eye contact with your audience is also crucial to making a connection with them. This can help you to gauge their reactions and adjust your delivery accordingly.

To use these techniques effectively, it is essential to practice them beforehand. Rehearsing your presentation in front of a mirror or with a friend can help you identify improvement areas and build your confidence.

Remember to be natural and authentic in your delivery, and use these techniques to support and enhance your message, not to distract from it.

Address Potential Questions And Concerns

Anticipating questions and concerns helps you prepare for any potential challenges during your presentation. It demonstrates your expertise and shows that you understand your audience’s needs . Here are some tips for handling difficult questions and concerns:

• Listen Carefully: Pay close attention to the question or concern and avoid interrupting or dismissing the audience member.
• Acknowledge And Clarify: Repeat the question or concern to ensure you understand it and demonstrate that you are taking it seriously.
• Provide An Answer: Answer the question or address the concern to the best of your ability, using relevant examples or data.
• Stay Calm And Professional: Maintain a professional demeanour and avoid becoming defensive or argumentative.
• Follow Up: If you do not know the answer to a question, commit to following up with the audience member later.
• Be Honest: If you make a mistake, admit it and correct it as soon as possible.

By anticipating and addressing potential questions and concerns, you can build trust and credibility with your audience, making your presentation more effective and memorable.

Camilla Uppal

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• Practical Law

Presentation skills: the basics

Practical law uk practice note w-020-4042  (approx. 7 pages).

• Presenting your department's strategic plan to the organisation's board.
• Addressing shareholders at your organisation's AGM.
• Explaining to the organisation what the legal function does and how it contributes to wider business goals.
• Addressing the media, possibly in response to a crisis.
• Speaking at industry conferences, either as a speaker or chair of a panel.

Effective ways to prepare for a presentation

Research your audience.

• What aspect of your subject area are the audience most interested in?
• How well informed about the subject are the audience?
• Are the audience interested in the subject from a particular perspective (for example, from a finance, legal, marketing or other viewpoint)?

What are the key takeaways

Plan your presentation.

• Tell them what you are going to tell them. Introduce your big idea at the outset and explain that your presentation will enlarge on that theme.
• Tell them. This is the main body of your presentation.
• Tell them what you have told them. When you reach the end of the main body, summarise by repeating your core theme, this time with the supporting points in short, bullet point style.

Chairing a panel

Organise a preparation call.

• Are going to be relevant on content.
• Stick to the panel topic.
• Have considered what they are going to say.
• Do not overlap on content.
• Have enough (but not too much) to say in the time allotted to them.

Starting the session

Moderating the discussion.

"Alex, that's a really interesting point; and one I've struggled with. Cameron, what's your view on this?"

"That sounds great, Evan. So, if I've understood correctly, in a nutshell…"

Q&A session

• Communicate and train
• Managing ethics and culture

This resource is continually monitored and revised for any necessary changes due to legal, market, or practice developments. Any significant developments affecting this resource will be described below.

• United Kingdom

Better Presentations: How to Stop ‘Rough-Drafting’ and Learn to Speak with Precision

Why is it that so many lawyer presentations suffer from “hanging fragmentitis”? Here’s how to stop yourself from constantly editing, restarting and revising out loud.

When we speak, why do we so often fail to finish our sentences? Linguists must know the answer to this question, but I am at a loss. All I’m sure of is this: Lawyers find it difficult — often impossible — to finish sentences. They have some kind of built-in resistance to committing to a period. Commas, ellipses and random question marks — yes. Periods — no.

Here’s what I mean. A lawyer stands up to make a presentation to colleagues, an opening statement or a motion to a judge. She states her topic or theme, often (but far from always) in a single sentence. And then, she’s off to “The Land of the Never-Ending Sentence.” There isn’t a period to be heard for minutes on end:

“Mrs. X has been afraid for her life since the night her husband stabbed her with a kitchen knife.” (This is the complete sentence.) “Mr. X had threatened her on numerous occasions, and the police had been … uh … called to their residence more than once and in 2009 alone officers were called by … uh … by either a neighbor or the caretaker of the condos or even by Mr. X himself … uh … on one occasion, and so she has been scared and worried, especially for the … um … effect of the potential violence on her two young daughters, who she sent away to live with her … um … sister.”

And so on and on … and on.

Eventually, the story emerges from the thicket of verbal litter. Participles dangle, prepositional phrases attach themselves, as if by their own accord, to the beginnings of ideas or the end of a long-winded thought, serving only as a bridge to the next part of an excruciating, endless sentence.

Tangled in the verbal weed patch, like chattering language cicadas, is the cognitive wheel-spinning of habitual rephrasing:

“… who she sent away to live with her sister … who … uh … who she sent to a suburb of Boston … who she sent early … um … last year to live in a safer place … a less … a much less violent situation with her sister, because she was now … uh … even worried about a different type of … uh … abuse, verbal, physical … her older daughter reported … “

Grab Hold of Those Dangling Thoughts

We would never leave a  written sentence unfinished. Why don’t we speak with the same care? Instead, we seem to be constantly editing, hitting the delete button, starting over, revising, and rough-drafting out loud. There is a fix for “hanging fragmentitis.” When you hear yourself starting sentences over, help yourself bring that sentence to an end by doing three things.

3 Tips on How to Make a Good Presentation

1. resist tacking “and” onto the ends of your thoughts during presentations..

Do this with all your intellectual muscle. Speak in phrases, working your way through sentences with precision. This keeps your brain in sync with your mouth. We often listen to lawyers who speak so fast that they cannot monitor their speech in real-time. Their brain is way out ahead of their lips. As my Uncle Bobby Wayne of Alabama once observed of a talking head on TV, “I see he’s mashing his lips together, but I can’t make out a word he’s sayin’ — and I’m sure he don’t know, either.” “And” used to string meandering sentences together litters your speech with meaningless noise.

2. End sentences with downward inflection, walking down the musical steps of each sentence.

End sentences decisively , so listeners hear that the end is approaching. They need those inflective, musical cues to help organize your thoughts in their heads. If you are asking a rhetorical question, end with the upward inflection of curiosity. Walk your voice  up  the musical steps.

3. Pause briefly when your sentence ends.

You should hear silence. The silence that follows the downward inflection of an audible period gives listeners a moment to process what you have said. Silence gives you a moment to formulate the first word of the next sentence. Don’t worry that the pause will be too long — 99.9% of the time, these pauses are less than a second and still sufficient to let listeners know the sentence is over. Resist the urge to rush into the next sentence.

When making legal presentations, speak in deliberate phrases. That keeps your sentences on track and prevents you from excessive starts and stops. Trust that you can speak about your topic with articulate intelligence. You needn’t second-guess yourself and force listeners to endure your public editing. Sentence fragments wouldn’t do on paper. Don’t sprinkle them throughout your spoken presentations.

Don’t be a litterbug. Period.

Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com.

For more than 30 years, Marsha Hunter was the CEO and a founder of Johnson and Hunter, Inc., with legal clients in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Her clients were top ten and top twenty law firms, legal departments at the world’s largest corporations, the United States Department of Justice, and organizations and bar associations from Belfast to Tasmania. Marsha is co-author of “ The Articulate Advocate ” and “ The Articulate Attorney ,” her specialty is human factors — the science of human performance in high-stakes environments. Born in Montana and raised in the American West, she lives in New Mexico.

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Think It, Draft It, Post It: Creating Legal Poster Presentations

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Traditionally, law professors share their scholarship or other ideas with their peers at conferences via oral presentations. While oral presentations are the traditional mode of conveying one’s ideas in this venue, there is another approach that is underutilized—poster presentations. In essence, a poster presentation is a visual display of a presenter’s idea along with an opportunity for a verbal interchange between the presenter and the audience. Poster presentations—a relatively new form of presentation at academic law conferences—provide a terrific medium for presenters to share their research or innovative teaching ideas in an informal manner.

Despite the benefits of a poster presentation, there is little information available about poster presentations to an audience of law professors. Moreover, in my experience, there are a relatively small number of poster proposals submitted every year. This Article seeks to fill this void and encourage law professors to submit posters for display at conferences. Part II of this article discusses some background information about poster presentations, addressing what a poster is and providing a brief history of poster presentations. Part III then discusses the numerous benefits of creating a poster presentation. Next, Part IV sets forth three steps to creating a poster presentation: Planning, Production, and Presentation. Finally, Part V provides a short conclusion.

I. Introduction

Traditionally, law professors share their scholarship or other ideas with their peers at conferences via oral presentations. [1] While oral presentations are the traditional mode of conveying one’s ideas in this venue, there is another approach that is underutilized—poster presentations. In essence, a poster presentation is a visual display of a presenter’s idea along with an opportunity for a verbal interchange between the presenter and the audience. [2] Poster presentations—a relatively new form of presentation at academic law conferences—provide a terrific medium for presenters to share their research or innovative teaching ideas in an informal manner. [3]

Despite the benefits of a poster presentation, there is little information available about poster presentations to an audience of law professors. [4] Moreover, in my experience, [5] there are a relatively small number of poster proposals submitted every year. [6] This Article seeks to fill this void and encourage law professors to submit posters for display at conferences. [7] Part II of this article discusses some background information about poster presentations, addressing what a poster is and providing a brief history of poster presentations. Part III then discusses the numerous benefits of creating a poster presentation. Next, Part IV sets forth three steps to creating a poster presentation: Planning, Production, and Presentation. Finally, Part V provides a short conclusion.

II. Background

While poster presentations are a relatively new mode of presentation at academic law conferences, [8] they are a standard feature in the sciences. [9] Scientific conferences in the United States began hosting poster presentations in the 1970s. [10] The commercial exhibits at biomedical conferences may have inspired the growth of poster presentations at scientific meetings. [11] Alternatively, poster presentations may have emerged “out of elements of the research paper and conference visuals or handouts.” [12] Generally, these posters convey the author’s completed work or work in progress.

The legal field has only recently adopted the concept from the sciences and health-related fields. [13] In 2005, the American Association of Law Schools (“AALS”) first introduced posters at its Annual Meeting in San Francisco. [14] Since then, a growing number of AALS Sections have sponsored poster presentations. [15]

Poster presentations have two purposes. The first purpose is to catch the audience’s attention and convey information to an audience of peers. [16] A poster consists of a visual display of research highlights or teaching innovations that, in contrast to an oral presentation, “stand[s] on its own” and speaks for itself. [17] It provides “‘a visual combination of bold design, color, and message intended to catch and hold the attention of the passerby long enough to implant a significant idea in the mind.’” [18] Accordingly, a poster is not simply the pasting of an article or abstract onto a poster board. [19]

The second purpose is to initiate and encourage conversation. [20] This interpersonal, one-on-one interaction with the audience that goes along with the visual display also makes the poster presentation distinct from an oral presentation. [21]

III. Benefits

There are numerous benefits to creating a poster presentation. One benefit of poster presentations, as compared to oral presentations, is that the audience has as long as it wants to absorb the information. [22] In fact, audience retention levels more than double when presenters use visuals to augment their spoken message. [23] A related benefit is that the poster presentation, unlike an oral presentation, encourages informal, one-one-one communication between the audience and the presenter. [24] This, in turn, can result in a more intensive discussion and thus a better exchange of ideas. [25]

In addition to fostering discussion, poster presentations provide access to a larger audience than oral presentations. There is a larger audience for poster presentations because they enable conference attendees to review their peers’ scholarship, research, and innovative teaching ideas without committing to a full-length talk. [26] In addition, posters are often displayed for several days following the formal poster session. [27] Accordingly, posters are more efficient than a traditional talk because conference attendees can view them even when the presenter is not present. [28]

Not only is there a larger audience for a poster presentation, it is also a presentation method that is particularly accessible to newer faculty. For example, it is less threatening to present a poster than it is to make a formal oral presentation to a large audience. [29] Therefore, a poster presentation provides a great opportunity for a new professor—anxious about giving a full-length conference presentation to a large audience—to present for the first time. [30] A related benefit is that, by encouraging new professors to present, the base of potential presenters is expanded. [31]

Poster presentations also provide several other benefits to professors who are new to the field. First, poster presentations afford the presenter a better opportunity for networking than traditional oral presentations in light of the one-on-one interaction between the audience and the presenter. [32] Second, poster presentations provide presenters with a great opportunity to promote themselves. [33] Third, a new professor need not have completed a law review article to do a poster presentation, as posters can portray an innovative teaching idea or the thesis of an article that the presenter is working on. [34] Finally, poster presentations allow professors whose proposals for oral presentations are not accepted to still present at the conference. [35]

Despite these various benefits, the number of poster submissions to date has been relatively small. [36] In the legal field, this may be because poster presentations are a relative newcomer on the scene. While there may be some trepidation to creating a poster, [37] it is unfounded in light of the numerous benefits of poster presentations.

IV. Creating a Poster

Generally, there are three steps to the poster creation process: (1) Planning, (2) Producing, and (3) Presenting. Therefore, the presenter must first “Think It,” then, “Draft It,” and finally, “Post It.” [38]

A. Planning: Think It

Naturally, the first step of planning a poster is coming up with an idea. Similar to scientific posters, posters setting forth the results of empirical research work well. [39] Posters can also work well to convey a thesis developed in a traditional law review article. [40] In addition, innovative teaching ideas lend themselves well to a poster presentation. [41] Regardless of the type of material covered, when coming up with an idea for a poster, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the idea must be one that can be conveyed visually in a manner that will attract the audience. [42] Finally, the poster must conform to the guidelines provided. [43]

Another aspect of the planning stage is determining who will produce the poster. One option is to hire a graphic artist to help design the poster. While this can result in a terrific poster, it can be costly. A more cost effective option is to utilize the graphic services that the law school provides, if available. [44] Finally, with the proliferation of graphic computer applications, presenters can easily design a poster themselves. [45]

The final thing to consider when planning the poster is the timeline. While there are few, if any, deadlines, associated with oral presentations, there are various deadlines to consider when creating a poster. These deadlines relate to when the work of the graphic artist or graphic services department needs to be completed, how long it will take to produce the poster, and when the poster needs to arrive at the venue. [46]

B. Producing: Draft It

Once an idea has been brainstormed and deadlines have been considered, the next step is drafting the poster. The bottom line when designing a poster is that it needs to attract the audience. [47] This requirement that the poster attract the audience can be analogized to a store window: “You want a nice store window to get people inside, and otherwise, once you are inside, you want to be able to find what you are looking for.” [48] Similarly, a poster should draw the audience in and, once drawn in, hold the audience’s attention, clearly and succinctly moving the audience through the thesis and conclusion of the research or innovative teaching idea.

When embarking on the journey of converting empirical research, a law review article, or an innovative teaching idea into a poster presentation, it is beneficial to review samples. Luckily, numerous samples can be found on the Internet by simply searching for “AALS Poster.” [49]

Below are some tips to ensure that a poster attracts and engages the audience.

1. Keep It Simple

When drafting a poster, limit the poster to a small number of core points that are set forth concisely. [50] Including too much information on a poster leads to visual overload and may discourage the audience from engaging with the poster. [51] In essence, the audience “should be able to walk by a poster and within thirty seconds know what the key messages are and no one should have to be there.” [52] To achieve a clear and concise poster, narrow down and compile a list of the content, language, and visuals that will appear on the poster. [53] Naturally, this list should include the title, the presenter’s name, the presenter’s school, and, if the poster is based on an article, the citation to the article.

2. Limit Text

Audiences are dissuaded from visiting and examining posters that are primarily comprised of text. [54] When drafting a poster, limit the text to the core ideas and use clear and simple language. [55] Moreover, avoid using long blocks of text, and instead use lists of sentences or phrases. [56]

3. Incorporate Eye-Catching Visuals

The goal when drafting a poster is to make the poster as visual as possible to ensure that it catches the audience’s eye. [57] In addition to making the poster more appealing, eye-catching visuals such as simple graphs, charts, or pictures [58] allow information to be communicated more efficiently. [59] While the visuals should make the poster engaging, avoid using too many graphics [60] and too many colors, [61] which make the poster visually overwhelming. [62]

4. Format with Finesse

Once you have determined what text and visuals to include on the poster, one of the keys to an effective poster is organizing the material on the poster in a clear and easy to understand manner. [63] When formatting a poster, the presenter must “juggl[e] text, visual, and white space according to the framework’s structure, while adding elements such as a title, authors, and affiliations.” [64]

When arranging these components, consider the primary facets that graphic designers have identified in a document’s structure [65] to highlight important points and provide the audience with clear cues as to how to move through the poster. [66] For example, use contrasting typefaces, [67] font styles, [68] or font sizes [69] to present a hierarchy in the information. [70] In addition, to convey the hierarchy of information, consider the proximity of the information as proximity provides organization. [71] Finally, keep the design uniform throughout the poster because consistency organizes the material and unifies the hierarchy. [72]

5. Make It Legible

In addition to limiting the amount of text on the poster, carefully consider the type size and style that is used to present the message. Generally, select a type size that can be easily read, [73] and avoid using more than three different font sizes. [74]

As for font style, it is generally a good idea to use a sans-serif font [75] for headings [76] and a serif font [77] for the text. [78] Moreover, avoid using ornate or script font styles that are difficult for the audience to read. [79] Words in all capital letters are also more difficult to read than words in both upper- and lower-case letters. [80] Finally, emphasize words with boldface or italics, rather than underlining them, [81] and avoid using bullets to punctuate section headers. [82]

6. Proofread [83]

7. respect the rules.

While this should go without saying, review and closely follow the guidelines provided. Frequently, posters are rejected because they do not adhere to the guidelines regarding the physical specifications, [84] design, [85] or content. [86]

C. Presenting: Post It

Once the poster has been drafted, the author can submit it for review. [87] According to the AALS Guidelines, the proposal must state the presenter’s name, law school, Section for which the presenter is submitting, the title of the poster, description of what will be presented, and an electronic copy of the poster. [88] AALS then sends the proposals to the Section Chair and Chair Elect. [89]

If the poster is accepted for display, the next step is to print and deliver the poster to the venue. While this may sound simple, it is costly [90] and the logistics can be the most challenging part of the entire process. [91] Therefore, take the time to read the detailed instructions regarding how the poster should be produced and the methods of delivering the poster to the conference venue. [92]

Once the poster has successfully arrived, the next step is to set up the poster. [93] First, confirm when and where the poster can be set up. [94] In addition to the poster, it is a good idea to provide handouts of the poster or, if the poster is based on an article, copies of the article or the abstract. [95] Additionally, the author can incorporate a QR code in the poster or display a QR code alongside the poster. [96] Finally, do not forget to bring along some business cards. [97]

While the poster will be displayed throughout the conference, poster presenters are scheduled to stand by their poster at a particular time during the conference. It is generally a good idea to prepare a quick summary of the poster that succinctly sets forth its message. [98] Nevertheless, poster presentations are not oral presentations and should allow for an exchange between the presenter and the audience. [99] Keep in mind that the goal is to provide the audience with sufficient information so that they understand the concept behind the poster, and therefore, feel comfortable asking questions.

On a final note, at the end of the conference, if the presenter wants to keep the poster, he or she must make sure to remove the poster before the deadline. [100] In light of the time, money, and effort placed into the project, it is a good idea to send it back to the law school. Posters that are not removed are discarded.

V. Conclusion

Poster presentations are a newcomer in the legal field. Faculty members should capitalize on this exciting new form of scholarship for conveying their ideas to their peers. While the process of creating a poster is relatively straightforward, the benefits of creating a poster are vast.

See e.g. Leg. Writing Inst. (LWI), 14th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, 2010 Conference Schedule , http://indylaw.indiana.edu/LWIconference/2010/schedule.cfm (accessed Sept. 4, 2012); Assn. Am. L. Schs. (AALS), Program , 2012 Annual Meeting , https://memberaccess.aals.org/eweb//DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AALS&WebKey=1350716a-7a12-4aad-9740-c98d014e272e&RegPath=EventRegFees&REg_evt_key=d4a06b1f-994e-4ffe-b5ea-548f57898594 (accessed Sept. 4, 2012).

See Martha Davis, Scientific Papers and Presentations 173 (Academic Press 1997); Anu MacIntosh-Murray, Poster Presentations as a Genre in Knowledge Communication: A Case Study of Form, Norms, and Values , 28 Sci. Comm. 347, 352 (2007) (“The poster presentation is a multimodal communicative event, with writing, graphics, color, speech, and even gesture used to convey meaning.”).

See infra pt. III (discussing benefits of poster presentations).

The Author was able to locate one piece written by Nancy Soonpaa in 2007. Nancy Soonpaa, Exploring New Formats for Presenting Academic Work: Poster Presentations at AALS , AALS Leg. Writing, Reasoning, & Research Sec. Newsl. 9 (Winter/Spring 2007) (available at http://faculty.law.lsu.edu/aals/new newsletter FINAL2.pdf ). In contrast, there are abundant resources available that discuss the creation of scientific posters. See generally e.g. Steven M. Block, Teaching Biophysics: Do’s and Don’ts of Poster Presentation , 71 Biophysical J. 3527 (1996) (available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1233841/pdf/biophysj00042-0617.pdf ); Jan Van Dalen et al., Effective Poster Design , 1 Educ. for Health 79, 79 (2002) (available at http://www.brown.edu/academics/medical/sites/brown.edu.academics.medical/files/uploads/Poster-design.pdf ); Carol Waite Connor, The Poster Session: A Guide for Preparation (USGS Open File Report 88-667, U.S. Geological Survey 1988) (available at http://www.sou.edu/AAASPD/PosterPrep.html ).

Over the last few years, the Author has had considerable experience with poster presentations. In 2008–2009 and 2010–2011, she served as the Chair of the Poster Committee for the AALS Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research. The Author also served as the Chair of the Poster Committee for the AALS Section on Teaching Methods in 2010–2011. In addition to serving on AALS Poster Committees, the Author had a poster accepted for display at the 2010 and 2013 AALS Conferences in New Orleans, Louisiana. Finally, the Author was a member of the Program Committee for the 2012 Legal Writing Instititute (“LWI”) Conference in Desert Springs, California, and co-chaired the subcommittee charged with coordinating the poster presentations.

For example, when the Author served as Chair of the Poster Committee for the AALS Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research, the Section received nine poster proposals for the 2009 conference in San Diego and thirteen proposals for the 2011 conference in San Francisco. Similarly, when the Author served as Chair of the Poster Committee for the AALS Section on Teaching Methods, the Section received eight proposals for the 2011 conference. In the same vein, the AALS Section on Academic Support received nine posters for the 2011 conference. Email from Herbert Ramy, Dir. & Prof. of Academic Support, Suffolk U. L. Sch., to Author (May 23, 2011, 11:30 EST) (on file with Author). In addition, the AALS Section on Animal Law received a single proposal.

While this Article focuses on posters submitted for display at the annual AALS conference, most of the information in the Article is equally applicable to other conferences that host posters. For example, the LWI now hosts poster presentations at its biennial conference. See infra n. 15.

See infra nn. 14–15 and accompanying text.

See Davis, supra n. 2, at 173; Peter J. Gosling, Scientist’s Guide to Poster Presentations 1 (Kluwer Academic.1999); Victoria E. McMillan, Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences 226 (4th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s 2006); MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 347.

Davis, supra n. 2, at 173; Gosling, supra n. 9, at 1.

MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 351; see Betty Lou Dubois, Popularization at the Highest Level: Poster Sessions at Biomedical Meetings , 56 Intl. J. Sociology Lang. 67, 76–77 (1985) (discussing origin of poster presentations in the sciences).

John M. Swales, Research Genres: Explorations and Applications 21 (Cambridge U. Press 2004).

See infra nn. 14–15.

AALS Annual Meeting, Posters , http://www.aals.org/am2006/posters.html (accessed Sept. 4, 2012). The first Section to sponsor posters at the Annual AALS Meeting was the AALS Section on Professional Responsibility. Id. Following this, the AALS Committee on Sections and the Annual Meeting decided to provide all AALS Sections with an opportunity to sponsor posters at the 2006 Annual Meeting. Id . The AALS Conference on Clinical Education also sponsors posters at its annual meeting. See e.g. AALS, 2012 Conference on Clinical Legal Education , https://memberaccess.aals.org/eweb//DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AALS&WebKey=b5373b80-92b9-44e6-aff8-e92b7def6edb&RegPath=EventRegFees&REg_evt_key=ca1f5b22-481c-47c5-8d17-f44654915c4f (accessed Sept. 4, 2012); AALS, Events , 2006 Conference on Clinical Legal Education, http://aals.org/events_2006clinicalprogramposters.php (accessed Sept. 4, 2012).

For the 2012 conference, the following Sections sought proposals for poster presentations: Academic Support; Africa; Balance in Legal Education; Biolaw; Clinical Legal Education; International Human Rights; Law, Medicine and Health Care; Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research; Teaching Methods; and Women in Legal Education. AALS, Posters , https://memberaccess.aals.org/eweb//DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AALS&WebKey=f6bbea07-2239-4c59-b241-e069aab1b279&RegPath=EventRegFees&REg_evt_key=d4a06b1f-994e-4ffe-b5ea-548f57898594 (last visited July 11, 2011) [hereinafter 2012 AALS Posters]. Following this trend, LWI began sponsoring posters in 2008 at the 13th Biennial Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. LWI also sponsored posters at the 2010 Biennial Conference at Marco Island, Florida and at the 2012 Biennial Conference in Desert Springs, California.

See Davis , supra n. 2, at 174–176 (categorizing different audiences for poster presentations).

Dubois, supra n. 11, at 77.

MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 352 (quoting Walter Arno Wittich & Charles Francis Schuller, Instructional Technology: Its Nature and Use 124 (5th ed., Harper & Row 1973)).

Id. at 364.

See McMillan, supra n. 9, at 226 (noting poster presentations permit the audience to interact with the poster and the presenter for a longer period of time as compared to an oral presentation).

P. A. Hazelton & A. P. Gardner, Posters: A Means for Both Technical and Social Communication 3, http://www.sefi.be/wp-content/abstracts2009/Hazelton.pdf (accessed Sept. 4, 2012) (providing that “audience retention level[s] jump[ ] from 14% to 38%” when presenters augment their arguments with visuals); see Ruth Anne Robbins, Painting with Print: Incorporating Concepts of Typographical and Layout Design into the Text of Legal Writing Documents , 2 J. ALWD 108, 111–112 (2004) (noting adults remember best when information is presented visually); see also J. Anthony Blair, The Rhetoric of Visual Arguments , in Defining Visual Rhetorics 41, 53 (Charles A. Hill & Marguerite Helmers eds., Lawrence Erlbaum Assocs., Publishers 2004) (noting audiences are more likely to remember visuals than they are to remember an oral presentation).

Poster presentations will particularly appeal to visual learners who learn best through pictures and diagrams rather than through text. See M. H. Sam Jacobson, How Law Students Absorb Information: Determining Modality in Learning Style , 8 Leg. Writing 175, 180 (2002). This is particularly significant because the number of people who absorb information best visually is increasing. See e.g. id. at 178 n. 11.

See e.g. Davis, supra n. 2, at 174 (discussing the advantages to individual communication); Cynthia K. Larive & Ewa Bulska, Tips for Effective Poster Presentations , 385 Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry 1347, 1348 (2006); MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 364.

See Am. College of Phys., Preparing a Poster Presentation , http://www.acponline.org/residents_fellows/competitions/abstract/prepare/pos_pres.htm (accessed Sept. 4, 2012); Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1347; MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 364.

See Davis, supra n. 2, at 174 (noting that “[m]ore papers can be scheduled for the same time with posters than with oral presentations, and those attending meetings have access to more papers in the same amount of time”). Poster presentations also allow conference attendees to skim a vast array of posters and provide the opportunity to return to those that they are the most interested in. See Connor, supra n. 4.

These benefits may also present some disadvantages. For example, simply quickly skimming the information presented on a poster may inhibit an individual’s ability to fully understand the material presented.

See Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1347.

Dan Filler, The Faculty Lounge Blog, The Transformation of the AALS Annual Meeting (Aug. 23, 2010, 12:25 p.m.) (available at http://www.thefacultylounge.org/2010/08/the-transformation-of-the-aals-annual-meeting.html ) (noting that poster presentations “open[] the door to many more participants” rather than simply the “insiders”).

See supra nn. 24–25 and accompanying text.

Poster presentations also afford the presenters opportunities to promote their school by informing the audience of the innovative ideas coming out of the institution.

In the sciences, some have posited that posters are not as popular as other forms of presentations because they may be seen as unsophisticated if the presenter tries to appeal to specialists and non-specialists alike. MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 368. The lack of proper peer review of posters is another reason given to explain why oral presentations are preferred. Id.

See Filler, supra n. 31. Conference organizers frequently receive far more quality proposals than can be accommodated in the conference program due to time and space constraints. The opportunity to present a poster is especially helpful in light of the current economic situation. At many schools, faculty members cannot receive funding to attend a conference unless they are presenting.

See supra n. 6 and accompanying text.

The lack of submissions may also result from the impression that legal scholarship is not well-suited to charts and graphs. The increase in empirical research in the legal field, however, lends itself to visual presentation. See infra nn. 40–42 and accompanying text.

There are numerous universities that provide information on their website about designing a poster presentation. See e.g. The Writing Ctr. @ U. of Wis.–Madison, Poster Presentations, http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/presentations_poster.html (last updated Nov. 5, 2007); UNC: The Graduate Sch., Poster and Presentation Resources , http://gradschool.unc.edu/student/postertips.html (last updated Nov. 1, 2011). No website exists, however, addressing the creation of legal poster presentations. While material on creating scientific poster presentations is helpful, legal posters should not mirror them in light of the different subject matter and audience.

This research may be the basis for a law review article. In the sciences, posters are a medium for conveying research results and generally have four sections: (1) Introduction; (2) Methods; (3) Results; and (4) Discussion or Conclusion. See e.g. Davis, supra n. 2, at 177; MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 354.

But see Soonpaa, supra n. 4, at 10 (“A standard law review is typically NOT good poster material.”). When creating a poster based upon a traditional law review article, the author must be particularly cognizant of the recommendations set forth in part IV(B), infra , to ensure that the poster is effective. The topic of the law review must be able to be depicted visually. See infra n. 41 and accompanying text. Moreover, the author must avoid simply setting forth the abstract or volumes of text. See supra n. 19 and accompanying text. Rather, the author should focus on communicating the thesis of the article and some key points.

The AALS Call for Posters states that “[p]osters are intended to provide authors an opportunity to present in clear and succinct fashion the thesis and conclusion of their research, to describe teaching innovations or service projects outside formal program presentations.” AALS, Memorandum Regarding Poster Presentation at 2013 AALS Annual Meeting , https://memberaccess.aals.org/eweb//DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AALS&WebKey=2933a943-24ca-4abb-8278-c7fb761dbbe5 (July 9, 2012) [hereinafter AALS 2013 Memorandum on Poster Presentations].

See e.g. Davis, supra n. 2, at 176; Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1347; MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 359. When brainstorming for a poster presentation, consider the overall message to be conveyed, who the audience is, what the audience should remember, the text to include, how the text can be organized, and the visuals that can be used to best convey this information. See e.g. Van Dalen et al., supra n. 4, at 79–80.

For example, AALS states that “[b]ecause the focus is on the content of the research and innovative teaching, posters that are primarily promoting a book, software or materials or a law school program or project are not eligible for poster display unless it is a collaborative program or project of multiple member law schools.” AALS 2013 Memorandum of Poster Presentations, supra n. 41.

If the law school is attached to a university, another option is to consider whether there are any art or graphic design students that would be interested in helping to design the poster.

Effective applications include: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and QuarkXPress.

Also, presenters must be sure to build in enough time to make any necessary revisions.

See Van Dalen et al., supra n. 4, at 79 (stating poster presenters “have about three seconds to catch the audience’s attention”); supra n. 42 and accompanying text.

MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 359. As with any project, it is imperative to discern who the audience is and what level of familiarity the audience has with the poster topic. See e.g. McMillan, supra n. 9, at 227; supra n. 16 and accompanying text.

For example, samples are available at Tracy Bach, Poster Committee Selects 2008 Posters for Annual Meeting , AALS Legal Writing, Reasoning & Research Sec. Newsl. 7 (Fall 2007) (available at http://faculty.law.lsu.edu/aals/Final Version Fall 2007 AALS Newsletter.pdf ); AALS Poster Presentation , AALS Legal Writing, Reasoning, & Research Sec. Newsl. 5 (Spring 2010) (available at http://www.aals.org/documents/sections/legalwriting/LWRR_Spring2010.pdf ); AALS, Annual Meeting: Reassessing Our Roles as Scholars and Educators in Light of Change , Posters , http://www.aals.org/am2008/posters.html (accessed Sept. 4, 2012).

Moreover, many posters that have been displayed at the recent AALS Annual Meetings are available through the AALS Poster Project on the EvidenceProf Blog, http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/evidenceprof/ . For example, see Sabrina DeFabritiis’s poster, “Barking up the Wrong Tree: Companion Animals, Emotional Damages and The Judiciary’s Failure to Keep Pace,” on the January 24, 2011 blog post. As with anything, some samples are better than others.

See e.g. Van Dalen et al., supra n. 4, at 81 (noting that people can only remember an average of seven things at a time); cf. Eric Markowitz, How to Create a Winning PowerPoint Presentation , http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-02-23/strategy/30040563_1_presentation-guy-kawasaki-macworld-conference (Feb. 23, 2011) (averring PowerPoint slides should focus on presenting the highlights—avoiding the use of too much text and too many visuals—to ensure that the audience pays attention).

MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 356.

Id. at 355. A “poster should be an eye-catcher, containing a brief message, understood at a glance.” Van Dalen et al., supra n. 4, at 79.

See MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 356.

See e.g. Am. College of Phys. , supra n. 25.

See e.g. Davis, supra n. 2, at 176; Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1348; McMillan, supra n. 9, at 228; cf. Deborah J. Merritt, Legal Education in the Age of Cognitive Science and Advanced Classroom Technology , 14 B.U. J. Sci. & Tech. L. 39, 51 (2008) (advocating that PowerPoint presentations use fewer words and more images because graphics “engage the right brain, depicting relationships among concepts more effectively than words alone”).

E.g. Colin Purrington, Designing Conference Posters , http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/posterdesign (accessed Sept. 6, 2012).

See McMillan, supra n. 9, at 226 (asserting that “[a] poster presentation conveys an author’s . . . [ideas] visually through a selective assemblage of illustrations . . . that are carefully integrated with a small amount of text” (emphasis in original)); Van Dalen et al., supra n. 4, at 79 (“Your poster should be an eye-catcher, containing a brief message, understood at a glance. It is claimed that you have about three seconds to catch the audience’s attention.”); Dubois, supra n. 11, at 77 (“Either the information is found interesting, or the visitor passes by.”); Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1348.

Eye-catching visuals are available for purchase at iStockphoto, http://istock photos.com/ , and flickr, http://www.flickr.com/ .

Am. College of Phys. , supra n. 25.

The AALS Call for Posters states that “[e]xperienced poster presenters suggest 3-6 graphics to mix in with your text to make the posters more engaging.” AALS 2013 Memorandum on Poster Presentations, supra n. 41.

Cf. Merritt, supra n. 55, at 64 (noting that “too many hues [on a PowerPoint slide] make the graphic hard to read from a distance”).

E.g. Davis, supra n. 2, at 179; Am. College of Phys. , supra n. 25; see Markowitz, supra n. 50 (explaining how “people simply stop paying attention to slides with too much text on them”).

See e.g. Block, supra n. 4, at 3528 (discussing the do’s and don’ts of how the content of the poster should be presented).

MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 358; cf. Robbins, supra n. 23, at 124 (discussing impact of white space on legibility on paper).

Robin Williams, The Non-Designers Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Visual Novice 13 (2d ed., Peachpit Press 2004). These elements are contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. Id.

See McMillan, supra n. 9, at 228. For example, keep in mind that readers generally expect the material to read from left to right and from top to bottom. Am. College of Phys. , supra n. 25. In addition, use lines, boxes, and arrows to highlight important points. Id.

See infra n. 81 and accompanying text.

See infra nn. 75–78 and accompanying text.

See infra nn. 73–74 and accompanying text.

Linda L. Lohr, Creating Graphics for Learning and Performance: Lessons in Visual Literacy 159–162 (Merrill Prentice Hall 2003); Williams, supra n. 65, at 63–78; Patrick J. Lynch & Sarah Horton, Web Style Guide 3rd ed., http://webstyleguide.com/wsg3/index.html (accessed Sept. 6, 2012). Using different typefaces, font families, and font sizes to vary the appearance of the letters creates contrast, which has been found to help the reader chunk information “because the writer can control where the reader looks first.” Robbins, supra n. 23, at 128.

Williams, supra n. 65, at 48; see Robbins, supra n. 23, at 128. Place items close together to convey a relationship among them. See Robbins, supra n. 23, at 128 (“Proximity is important because aligning items on the page ‘creates a stronger cohesive unit.’” (quoting Williams, supra n. 65, at 31)).

Williams, supra n. 65, at 55; cf. Robbins, supra n. 23, at 131.

Block, supra n. 4, at 3527; MacIntosh-Murray, supra n. 2, at 358. One scholar suggests that the font should be a minimum of 24 point to ensure that the audience can easily read the text. Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1348.

According to the AALS Guidelines, the “[t]ext should be . . . presented in a font size that allows our aging academics to read it with ease.” AALS 2013 Memorandum on Poster Presentations, supra n. 41. The Guidelines specify that the posters should “be easily read from 2–3 feet away.” Id. The LWI Guidelines state that the font should be large enough to be easily read from three to four feet and should not use a font of less than 36 point." Candace Centeno, Posters: Presentation Tips & Technical Requirements 1 (2010) (on file with Author).

Am. College of Phys. , supra n. 25. Present the title in the largest font, the subheadings in the second-largest font, and any text in the smallest font. Id.

A serif is a short decorative line or curve added to the basic form of a character to embellish it. See Matthew Butterick, Typography for Lawyers: Essential Tools for Polished & Persuasive Documents 78–79 (Jones McClure Publg. 2010). Hence, a sans-serif font—“sans” meaning “without” in French—refers to a font that does not include this type of embellishment. See id. at 78–79. Examples of sans-serif fonts include Avant Garde, Arial, Geneva, and Helvetica.

It is easier to read sans-serif fonts versus serif fonts on posters. Cf. Robbins, supra n. 23, at 127 (noting that sans-serif fonts are easier to read on computer monitors).

See supra n. 75 (distinguishing serif and sans serif fonts). The most common example of a serif font is Times New Roman. Others include Courier, Garamond, New Century Schoolbook, and Palatino.

Purrington, supra n. 56; cf. Merritt, supra n. 55, at 64 (asserting sans-serif fonts should be used for text on PowerPoint slides because they are easier to read on slides); Robbins, supra n. 23, at 127 (noting “serif fonts are easier to read when dealing with large amounts of text” in legal writing documents). Serif fonts are easier to read at smaller font sizes. Purrington, supra n. 56. That being said, in light of the minimal amount of text that should be incorporated on a poster and that the font size should be easily readable, it may be permissible to use sans-serif fonts for the text as well.

In addition, avoid using monospaced type fonts because they are more difficult to read than fonts that are proportionally spaced. See Butterick, supra n. 75, at 81; Block, supra n. 4, at 3527. Monospaced fonts are fonts in which all of the characters are the same width. Butterick, supra n. 75, at 80. Courier, Monaco, and Consolas are some examples of monospaced fonts. Id. In contrast, with proportionally spaced fonts, such as Times New Roman, the width of the characters is not the same. Id.

Cf. Block, supra n. 4, at 79–80.

Purrington, supra n. 56; Robbins, supra n. 23, at 115–118; see Butterick, supra n. 75, at 86. Sentences written in all caps (“ALL CAPS”) and title case (“Title Case”) “require a few extra milliseconds for brains to interpret.” Purrington, supra n. 56; see also Miles A. Tinker, Basis for Effective Reading 136 (U. Minn. Press 1965); Miles A. Tinker & Donald G. Paterson, The Effect of Typographical Variations upon Eye Movement in Reading , 49 J. Educ. Research 171, 181 (1955).

Purrington, supra n. 56; see Butterick, supra n. 75, at 78–79. Similar to words in all capitals, underlining slows reading rates. See Robbins, supra n. 23, at 118. While text in italics also slows reading rates, the decrease is not as significant as that with underlining. See id. In contrast, boldface does not slow an individual’s reading speed. See id. at 119.

Purrington, supra n. 56.

While this should go without saying, the Author has reviewed numerous posters with glaring errors. The existence of an error is particularly troublesome when it is not discovered until the poster has gone through the time-consuming and costly production process. To assist in locating errors, have a peer review of the poster prior to production. See Larive & Bulska, supra n. 24, at 1348.

For example, AALS limits posters to three feet by four feet. AALS 2013 Memorandum on Poster Presentations, supra n. 41. In 2010, LWI required that the posters not exceed eight feet by four feet. Centeno, supra n. 73, at 2.

See supra nn. 60, 73.

See supra n. 42.

In the AALS Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research and the Section on Teaching Methods, the Poster Committee reviews and selects the posters to be displayed at the Annual Meeting.

In contrast, for LWI poster presentations, the presenter need not submit a copy of the poster. See Call for Proposals for the 15th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute 4, http://law.uoregon.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/final_2012_cfp.pdf (accessed Sept. 6, 2012). In fact, in the Call for Proposals for the Biennial Conference, a prospective oral presenter can indicate that he or she would be willing to do a poster presentation if his or her oral presentation is not selected. Id. at 3. If a presenter agrees to do a poster, unlike AALS, LWI does not see the actual poster until it is presented. See id. at 4. Nevertheless, the LWI Program Committee highly recommends that presenters send drafts of their posters to an assigned mentor once their poster has been accepted. Id.

AALS 2013 Memorandum on Poster Presentations, supra n. 41.

For example, for the 2010 Annual Meeting, it cost $160 to have the poster printed on the foam board backing and another $110 to have it shipped to the conference hotel in New Orleans.

These logistics can include, among other things, creating a poster file that is the correct resolution and file type to be printed as a large poster, arranging for the delivery of the poster to the venue, and confirming the delivery of the poster.

According to the AALS Call for Posters, the posters must be on foam board because the posters are displayed on easels that are provided. AALS 2013 memorandum on Poster Presentations, supra n. 41. In contrast, LWI recommends laminating the poster and not placing it on foam board because the posters are posted on bulletin boards provided in the exhibit hall. Centeno, supra n. 73, at 2.

The poster can be produced beforehand and shipped to the venue, produced beforehand and hand-carried by the poster presenter to the venue, or produced once the poster presenter has arrived at the venue city. Regardless of the method chosen, it is always a good idea to bring a copy of the poster on a thumb drive just in case there are complications. If the poster is printed beforehand and mailed to the venue, take into consideration that it will take twenty-four to forty-eight hours for the poster to be printed.

If the presenter cannot attend the conference, the presenter must arrange to have someone set up the poster and to stand by the poster during the presentation period.

Although AALS provides an easel and LWI provides push pins, it is always a good idea to bring some basic equipment just in case—tape, scissors, push pins, and a stapler.

The handout of the poster or abstract should include the presenter’s name, address, and phone number. It is also a good idea to bring a folder to attach to the easel or a box to place on the floor to hold the handouts.

A QR—or Quick Response—code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. In essence, these codes are paper-based hyperlinks that link the user directly to a website containing the relevant material posted there. To read the QR code, the user needs to simply install a QR code reader onto his or her smartphone.

As co-chair of the LWI committee in charge of poster presentations at the 2012 LWI Conference in Desert Springs, California, the Author arranged—for the first time—to have QR Codes created for all of the posters. These QR codes provide attendees with access to a website that contains the posters and related materials.

Just as with the handouts, it is a good idea to bring something to hold the business cards so that they are available even when the presenter is not at the poster. For example, attach an envelope to the easel or board to hold the cards and adhere a business card to the outside of the envelope.

Purrington, supra n. 56. That being said, be careful of long-winded introductions that hinder the interaction with the audience.

See supra nn. 21, 24–25 and accompanying text.

When AALS accepts a poster for display, it provides the presenter with extensive instructions on how to have the poster shipped back to the presenter at the close of the Annual Meeting.

presentation

• Procedural Law and Evidence

Definitions of presentation

a talk providing information about something

The lawyer gave an interesting presentation on criminal law.

an act of giving or offering information for a person or group of people to consider

The jury must have been misled by the prosecution's presentation of the evidence.

Presentation Agreement

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What is a presentation agreement.

A presentation agreement is a contract between a company and another party where the company is promised the right to make presentations. This type of agreement is most commonly used to procure a table or speaking spot at conferences and other large events. It is useful in ensuring that companies have a platform and space to spread the word about their businesses. It also protects the investment that companies make into supplies and marketing materials meant to accompany their presentation by guaranteeing a spot at the event.

If legal issues arise, the presentation agreement is also a great form of documentation that either party can use to support their claims.

Common Sections in Presentation Agreements

Below is a list of common sections included in Presentation Agreements. These sections are linked to the below sample agreement for you to explore.

Presentation Agreement Sample

Reference : Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database, EX-99 2 accreditedmembers.htm , Viewed September 27, 2022, View Source on SEC .

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Erdal Turnacioglu of Erdal Employment Law focuses on providing employment solutions to both employees and businesses, whether through litigation, review of employee handbooks, workplace investigations, or training seminars.

Charlton M.

Charlton Messer helps businesses and their owners with general counsel and contract drafting services. He has helped over 500 businesses with their legal needs across a variety of industries in nearly a decade of practice.

Dan "Dragan" I.

I received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Northwestern University in 1996 and then got my JD at University of Illinois College of Law in 1999. I have been a lawyer helping people with legal issues in the United States and Internationally since then. That includes litigation as well as contracts/transactions. I am also passionate about helping small and medium businesses with trademark registration and trademark-related legal projects. The law can be confusing and complicated for people, and I am passionate about providing professional legal services to my clients while simultaneously making the legal process less confusing and stressful for them. My goal is to help clients navigate through both good and difficult times by tailoring my skills, experience, and services to their specific needs. I am currently licensed and authorized to practice before the Illinois courts and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Internationally I am one of a select few American attorneys licensed and authorized to practice before the United Nations ICTY/IRMCT, the International Criminal Court, and the State Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Clients have retained me internationally alongside local counsel in several European countries, Australia, and Africa in private legal matters. I have also been appointed by the United Nations to represent persons at the ICTY/IRMCT and chosen by indigent accused to represent them. Since 2009 my law firm has handled domestic and international cases, including Trial litigation (including Commercial, Premises Liability, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, and General Litigation) and Transactional work (Contracts, Corporate formation, and Real Estate Transactions). I enjoy helping less experienced practitioners and students evolve and improve. I served as an instructor/lecturer on Oral Advocacy and Trial Practice for the participants of the ADC-ICT & ICLB Mock Trial since 2014, and have presented Advocacy Training lectures for the ADC-ICT on several topics as well as regularly lecturing to visiting University and Bar groups from around the world. If you or a loved one have a legal matter of importance, let's see if I can help you with it!

Current practice includes: employment law, family law, business law and personal injury.

Hi there. My practice focuses on several aspects of business law, including business entity formation and organizational documents, trademark and copyright, tax disputes, and contracts. I work with quite a few creative entrepreneurs, such as photographers, artists, and musicians.

I am a New Mexico licensed attorney with many years of world experience in real estate, transactional law, social security disability law, immigration law, consumer law, and estate planning.

Brent has been in practice since 2007 and been the principal attorney and owner of The Walker Firm, LLC since 2014. Brent focuses on providing an array of general counsel services to individuals and companies in a variety of industries.

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1) A demand for payment of a promissory note when it is due. The Uniform Commercial Code § 3-501 defines Presentment as: “a demand made by or on behalf of a person entitled to enforce an instrument (i) to pay the instrument made to the drawee or a party obliged to pay the instrument or, in the case of a note or accepted draft payable at a bank, to the bank, or (ii) to accept a draft made to the drawee.”

2) A formal written accusation to a court by a grand jury , made on its own initiative without a request or presentation of evidence by the local prosecutor. For example, in the 2013 Florida case State v. Womack , the District Court of Appeal held that each comment made by the grand jury in a presentment, which alleged wrongdoing by public officials, with a factual foundation that was germane to the scope of the inquiry was necessarily proper and in turn could not be repressed or expunged.

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PRESENTATION, eccl. law. The act of a patron offering his clerk to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted in a church or benefice.

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Legal Definition of Presentment

In an extended sense presentments include not only what is properly so called, but also inquisitions of office, and indictments found by a grand jury. 3 min read updated on February 01, 2023

Presentment : The written notice taken by a grand jury of any offence, from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them at the suit of the government upon such presentment, when 'proper, the officer emloyed to prosecute, afterwards frames a till of indictment, which is then sent to the grand jury, and they find it to be a true bill. In an extended sense presentments include not only what is properly so called, but also inquisitions of office, and indictments found by a grand jury.

The difference between a presentment and an inquisition , is this, that the former is found by a grand jury authorized to inquire of offences generally, whereas the latter is an accusation found by a jury specially returned to inquire concerning the particular offence. The writing which contains the accusation so presented by a grand jury, is also called a presentment.

Contracts - The production of a bill of exchange or promissory note to the party on whom the former is drawn, for his acceptance, or to the person bound to pay either, for payment.

The holder of a bill is bound, in order to hold the parties to it responsible to him, to present it in due time for acceptance, and to give notice, if it be dishonored, to all tho parties he intends to hold liable. And when a bill or note becomes payable, it must be presented for payment.

The principal circumstances concerning presentment , are the person to whom, the place where, and the time when, it is to be made.

In general the presentment for payment should be made to the maker of a note, or the drawee of a bill for acceptance, or to the acceptor, for payment; but a presentment made at a particular place, when pavable there, is in general sufficient. A personal demand on the drawee or acceptor is not necessary; a demand at his usual place of residence of his wife or other agent is sufficient.

When a bill or note is made payable at a particular place, a presentment, as we have seen, may be made there; but when the acceptance is general, it must be presented at the house or place of business of the acceptor.

In treating of the time for presentment , it must be considered with reference to:

• A presentment for acceptance
• One for payment

When the bill is payable at sight, or after sight, the presentment must be made in reasonable time; and what this reasonable time is depends upon the circumstances of each case. The presentment of a note or bill for payment ought to be made on the day it becomes due, and notice of non-payment given, otherwise the holder will lose the security of the drawer and endorsers of a bill and the endorsers of a promissory note, and in case the note or bill be payable at a particular place and the money lodged there for its payment, the holder would probably have no recourse against the maker or acceptor, if he did not present them on the day, and the money should be lost.

The excuses for not making a presentment are general or applicable to all persons, who are endorsers; or they are special and applicable to the particular' endorser only. Among the former are:

• Inevitable accident or overwhelming calamity
• The prevalence of a malignant disease, by which the ordinary operations of business are suspended
• The breaking out of war between the country of the maker and that of the holder
• The occupation of the country where the note is payable or where the parties live, by a public enemy, which suspends commercial operations and intercourse
• The obstruction of the ordinary negotiations of trade by the vi's maj or
• Positive interdictions and public regulations of the state which suspend commerce and intercourse
• The utter impracticability of finding the maker, or ascertaining his place of residence

Among the latter or special excuses for not making a presentment may be enumerated the following: 

• The receiving the note by the holder from the payee, or other antecedent party, too late to make a due presentment; this will be an excuse as to such party
• The note being an accommodation note of the maker for the benefit of the endorser
• A special agreement by which the endorser waives the presentment
• The receiving security or money by an endorser to secure himself from loss, or to pay the note at maturity. In this case, when the indemnity or money is a full security for the amount of the note or bill, no presentment is requisite
• The receiving the note by the holder from the endorser, as a collateral security for another debt

A want of presentment may be waived by the party to be affected, after a full knowledge of the fact. 

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Legal Definitions

The following legal definitions are available for your reference. Please call the FBA office at (571) 481-9100, if the word you are looking for is not included.

A Abstract of title – A shortened history of the title to land.

Acceleration clause – A provision in a mortgage, note, etc., which allows a lender to demand monies due under the instrument when there has been a default such as nonpayment, etc.

Accessory – In criminal law, one who contributes to or aids in the commission of a crime.

Acquit – To certify the innocence of someone charged with a crime.

Adjudication – The formal giving or pronouncing of a judgment or decree.

Administrator – A person appointed by the court to administer.

Admission – Voluntary acknowledgements made by a party that certain facts are true.

Adverse possession – Acquiring title to land by possessing the land for a certain period of time and under certain conditions.

Affidavit – A written statement of facts sworn to as true by the person making it.

Affirmative defense – In a pleading, a matter constituting a defense.

Agent – Someone who acts for another.

Alimony – Allowances that one spouse pays the other for maintenance while they are separated or after they are divorced.

Allegation – Assertion made in a pleading that the party expects to prove.

Amicus Curiae – A person with a strong interest in the subject matter may petition the court for permission to file a brief.

Amortization – The payment of a debt by installments.

Annulment – When the court voids a marriage due to preexisting conditions that would have prevented a valid marriage from being entered into.

Answer – A pleading in which a defendant responds to the plaintiffís complaint.

Appeal – A procedure in which a party resorts to a superior court to review the decision of an inferior (lower) court.

Appellant – The party who appeals a decision to a higher court.

Appellate Court – A court having jurisdiction of appeal and review.

Appellee – The party against whom an appeal was taken.

Arraignment – Proceeding in which the accused is brought before the court to plead to a criminal charge.

Assault – An attempt to inflict injury upon another, when coupled with ability to inflict the injury.

Assumption of the risk – An affirmative defense in a personal injury case, meaning that a person cannot recover for an injury received when he/she voluntarily exposes himself to a known and appreciated danger.

Attachment – The act of taking property by some type of order to bring a person or property into legal custody.

Bail (verb) – To procure release on one charged with an offense.

Bailiff – A court officer who has charge of a court session.

Bankrupt – When an individual, under the Bankruptcy Act, is unable to pay debts as they become due.

Battery – The use of physical force against another.

Bench warrant – A court-issued warrant for the attachment or arrest of a person.

Bind over – To hold for trial or further inquiry.

Brief – A written document.

Burglary – While every state defines it differently, it is commonly defined as breaking into and entering a dwelling with the intent to commit a felony therein.

Caption – The heading of a pleading, motion, deposition, or other legal document which shows the name of the court, the names of the parties, docket or file number, title of the action, as well as other pertinent information.

Cause of Action – A combination of law and fact sufficient enough for someone to seek a remedy through a court.

Certiorari – (Latin: to be informed of) Writ issued by a superior to a lower court requiring the lower court to produce a certified record of proceedings for judicial review. The writ is often used as a means of gaining appellate review. In the United States Supreme Court, the writ is most frequently used as a way of selecting the cases that will be reviewed.

Change of Venue – The transfer of a lawsuit from one county to another county, or from one court to another court in the same county or district.

Charge to Jury – The final address by a judge to a jury instructing the jury as to the law relevant to a case and how the law must be applied. The charge is given immediately before the jury retires to deliberate on a verdict.

Chattel – An article of tangible personal property, as opposed to real property.

Circuit Court – A court that has jurisdiction over various counties or districts.

Circumstantial Evidence – Testimony, not based on actual personal knowledge or observation of the facts in controversy, which the court or jury may determine to be true from deductions.

Citation to Legal Authority – Reference to a statute, code, regulation, court decision, constitutional provision, or quotation from a body of law to support a statement of the law.

Civil Action – A lawsuit brought to enforce private rights; in general, any type of action except criminal proceedings.

Clerk of Courts – The officer who generally acts as the administrative agent of the court. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, accepting filings, recording orders of court, and calculating sentences imposed in criminal matters.

Code – A collection of laws, rules, or regulations systematically arranged and enacted by legislative authority.

Codicil – A supplement or addition to a will that may explain, modify, add to, subtract from, qualify, alter, restrain, or revoke provisions in the existing will.

Collateral Estoppel Doctrine – Commonly referred to as issue preclusion . When a court renders a decision in a case based upon its disposition of certain issues, those same issues cannot be litigated again in another case in which a party to the previous case, who litigated or had the opportunity to litigate the decided issues, participated.

Common Law – The body of principles and rules based on judicial precedent rather than on legislative enactments.

Common-Law Marriage – Created by two people without a ceremony involving an agreement to enter into a marriage relationship, cohabitation, and the parties holding themselves out to the public as married.

Commutation – The change of a punishment to one that is less severe, such as the reduction of a criminal defendantís punishment from a death sentence to life imprisonment.

Comparative Negligence – Under this statute or doctrine, a plaintiffís recovery will be diminished by the percentage amount of negligence attributable to the plaintiff in causing his or her injuries. The term also refers to the allocation of percentages of negligence between multiple defendants.

Compensatory Damages – Awarded in a civil action as compensation, indemnity, or restitution to a plaintiff for losses or damages incurred as a result of the acts of another. The purpose of compensatory damages is to place the plaintiff in the position that he/she was in prior to the injury. Examples of compensatory damages are economic damages, such as lost wages and medical bills, and non-economic damages, such as pain, suffering, and disfigurement.

Complaint – The initial pleading filed by a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit. Also refers to the written document detailing criminal charges filed against a criminal defendant.

Condemnation – The legal process by which private property is appropriated for public use without the ownerís consent through the power of eminent domain, but for which the owner is paid just compensation by the public body for such appropriation.

Consent Decree – An agreement of parties to a lawsuit, based upon stipulated facts, which is sanctioned by the court.

Consideration – Generally, something of value or a promise to forgo an existing liability provided in exchange for a personís entering into a contract.

Contempt of Court – An intentional act designed to hinder a courtís administration of justice. Direct contempt is committed in the immediate presence and view of the court. Constructive, or indirect, contempt is the failure or refusal to obey lawful court orders.

Contingent Fee – Attorneyís fee calculated as a percentage of the amount recovered by a client.

Continuance – A postponement granted by the court at the request of either or both parties, or by the court on its own motion.

Contract – An enforceable oral or written agreement, between two or more parties, which creates an obligation to do or not to do a particular thing.

Contributory Negligence – The concept that a plaintiff, who sues a defendant on a basis of negligence, is not entitled to recover any damages if he/she committed an act of negligence that contributed to the injury suffered. See also Comparative Negligence .

Conversion – The improper use, possession, or destruction of anotherís personal property.

Copyright – An intangible right of ownership granted by statute to the author or originator of certain literary, musical, or other artistic productions.

Corpus Delicti – Objective proof that a crime has been committed; for example, the corpse of a murdered person or the charred remains of a house burned down.

Corroborating Evidence – Supplementary evidence tending to strengthen or confirm evidence previously introduced.

Counterclaim – Claim brought by the defendant in a lawsuit against the plaintiff. A counterclaim neither answers nor denies the plaintiffís claim, but rather asserts an independent claim against the plaintiff arising out of the same transaction or occurrence that gave rise to the plaintiffís original claim.

Court Reporter – A person who transcribes testimony during court proceedings, depositions, or other proceedings authorized by a court or rule of court.

Cross-claim – Claim brought by a defendant in a lawsuit against a co-defendant in the suit arising out of the same transaction or occurrence that gave rise to the plaintiffís original claim or of a counterclaim. It often refers to a claim that another defendant is liable to the plaintiff or is responsible to indemnify another defendant.

Cross-examination – The questioning of a witness in a legal proceeding by a party that has not called the witness as his/her witness.

Custodian – Generally, a person or financial institution with control of property or other assets. In bankruptcy law, a third party with authority to take charge of a debtorís assets for the benefit of all creditors.

Damages – Monetary compensation or indemnity recovered in the courts by any person who has suffered an injury or loss caused by an unlawful act, omission, or negligence of another person.

Debtor – In general, a person who is liable to pay a claim. In bankruptcy law, a person who voluntarily files a petition of bankruptcy or has such a petition filed against him/her.

De Facto – (Latin: in fact or actually) Used to describe a state of affairs or a set of circumstances that exist in reality, though perhaps not officially. A matter of conduct founded upon the conduct or practice of a person, organization, or government agency rather than upon the law.

De Jure – A state of affairs or condition where there has been complete compliance with all legal requirements.

De Minimus – Something that is so minimal or small that it does not justify relief from a court.

De Novo – Often refers to a new court proceeding, or a trial or hearing for the second time, which is held in the same manner as if it had not been previously heard and as if no decision had been previously rendered.

Decedent – An individual who has died.

Declaratory Judgment – A binding judicial determination of the rights of the parties in a lawsuit where there is doubt as to the partiesí legal rights or status.

Decree – A decision or order of the court. A final decree is one that fully and finally disposes of litigation whereas an interlocutory decree is a provisional or preliminary decree that does not fully and finally dispose of litigation.

Deed – A signed document or instrument used to convey title to real property from one individual or entity to another.

Defamation – The intentional publication of false, derogatory statements about another. Verbal statements constitute slander, while written statements constitute libel.

Defendant – The party against whom a lawsuit is filed.

Deposition – Testimony of a witness taken under oath in the presence of a court reporter, but not in a courtroom. May be used to discover evidence or to preserve testimony for later use in court.

Design Patent – Patent granted for the drawing or depiction, chiefly of an ornamental nature, of an original plan or conception to be used in manufacturing, or textile arts, or the fine arts.

Discrimination – Unfair treatment or denial of a privilege based on sex, age, race, nationality, religion, or being handicapped.

Devise – A gift of real property made in a will.

Direct Examination – The interrogation of a witness by the party on whose behalf the witness is called.

Directed Verdict – In a case in which the party with the burden of proof has failed to present a prima facie case for jury consideration, the trial judge may direct the jury to enter a verdict without allowing the jury to consider it, because, as a matter of law, there can be only one such verdict.

Disbarment – Action taken by a court revoking an attorneyís license to practice law.

Discovery – The process used by parties to court cases by which one party obtains information and facts known or possessed by the other party or by witnesses. Discovery includes, but is not limited to, interrogatories, requests for production of documents, depositions, and requests for admissions.

Dismissal with Prejudice – Final judgment against the plaintiff on a case that prohibits bringing an action on the same cause in the future. In contrast, dismissal without prejudice allows the plaintiff to sue again for the same cause.

Dissent – The disagreement of one or more judges of a court with the decision of the majority of the court. In written court opinions, it is referred to as a dissenting opinion .

Dissolution – The process by which a corporation, partnership, or other legal entity is legally terminated.

Docket – The court’s formal record of a legal proceeding.

Domicile – The location of a personís permanent home, which is intended to be his or her permanent residence. A person may have several residences, but only may have one domicile.

Double Jeopardy – A prohibition in common law and constitutional law that prohibits an individual from being prosecuted or placed in jeopardy twice for the same crime.

Due Diligence – In reference to business acquisition or merger, investigation of the financial, physical, and legal condition of a company before the transaction is completed.

Due Process – In general, an individualís right to have notice of legal proceedings and a fair opportunity to be heard.

Duress – Any means, such as threats of bodily harm, used to force an individual to do something against his/her will.

Easement – The right for someone other than a property owner to use the property for a specific purpose, such as the right to maintain a public path through a farmerís field.

Embezzlement – The fraudulent misappropriation of money entrusted to another.

Eminent Domain – The power of a government body to appropriate private property for public use through condemnation proceedings in which the private property owner is paid fair compensation for the appropriation by the government.

En Banc – Refers to a hearing or argument before all of the judges of the court sitting together depending on the court, a panel of judges.

Encumbrance – A liability or claim levied on property, such as a mortgage, lien, or assessment.

Enjoin – To require a person or entity, by injunction, to perform or to abstain from some act.

Entity – A legally identifiable being with specific legal rights and which may be held legally liable, such as an individual, partnership, corporation, or governmental body.

Entrapment – The act of officers or agents of the government in inducing a person to commit a crime that the person would not otherwise have committed, except for the provocations of a law enforcement official.

Equity – The side of the court that hears and decides cases based upon general unwritten rules of fairness as opposed to the rules of common law. Equity courts award non-monetary remedies in contrast to courts of law, which award monetary remedies.

Escrow – An agreement whereby a writing, deed, money, or security is placed in the custody of a third person (escrow agent) pending the occurrence of a specified contingency, performance of a specified condition, or receipt of a specified notice authorizing release.

Estate – The total property owned by a person, both real and personal, as well as property rights and rights in an action, including all of the liabilities of an individual. Most often refers to the holdings of a personal representative of someone who has died, but also may refer to the holdings of a guardian holding property for the benefit of a minor or an incapacitated person. See also Marital Estate .

Estoppel – A principle that provides that a person is legally precluded from denying facts as the result of previous acts or failures to act or acceptance of facts, which were relied upon by another party.

Et al. – An abbreviation meaning and others , such as where there are several plaintiffs.

Et seq. – An abbreviation meaning and the following .

Et ux. – An abbreviation meaning and wife , such as where a grantor’s wife joins in the conveyance of real property.

Evidence – Anything tending to prove or disprove a disputed fact. Examples of evidence include, but are not limited to: testimony (oral statements made in court), tangible evidence (things or objects that have physical existence), documentary evidence (letters, memoranda, reports or other writings), and demonstrative evidence (procedure or re-creation where the cause and effect of an event are shown or acted out). See also Circumstantial Evidence , Rules of Evidence , and Parol Evidence Rule .

Ex Parte – Acts done on behalf of one party only without the knowledge of another party or without another party being given the opportunity to participate. Ex parte communications between a party and a court are frowned upon and avoided whenever possible.

Ex Post Facto – An act or fact occurring after a previous act or fact, and relating to it. An ex post facto law, which makes a crime greater in magnitude when prosecuted than when the crime was committed, is unconstitutional under the United States Constitution.

Exclusionary Rule – Doctrine prohibiting the use in criminal prosecutions of evidence determined to have been obtained in violation of an individualís constitutional rights, such as the suppression of a defendantís statements made to authorities without having been provided the appropriate Miranda warnings.

Execute – To sign a document. It also refers to a creditorís selling of a debtorís property through a Sheriff or Constable to satisfy a judgment.

Execution – Often used to refer to the imposition of capital punishment, meaning the killing of a criminal defendant for having committed first-degree murder. It also refers to an individualís signing of a document.

Executor or Executrix – A person appointed by an individual who made a will to carry out the provisions of the will. The executor/trix is responsible for collecting the assets of the decedent, paying all outstanding liabilities of the decedent and ensuring that the beneficiaries of the will receive the property to which they are entitled under the will.

Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies – Doctrine requiring that the person seeking relief in a matter relating to an administrative subject must try all available administrative remedies before going to court.

Exhibit – A paper, document or tangible article introduced as evidence at a hearing or trial and displayed to the court and jury during a trial or hearing.

Expert Testimony – Testimony usually consisting of opinion evidence given on a scientific, technical, or professional matter by persons qualified to speak authoritatively because of special training, skill, experience, or familiarity about a subject.

Extradition – The surrender of an accused or convicted criminal by a custodial jurisdiction to another jurisdiction outside of its own territory and within the other jurisdictionís territory.

F Fact Question – Issues in a trial or hearing concerning facts, and how or whether they occurred as opposed to questions of law.

Failure of Consideration – Not achieving the expected value of something given to induce a person to enter into a contract.

False Pretenses – Intentional misrepresentation of existing fact to obtain anotherís property.

Fee Simple – Absolute and perpetual ownership of real property without limitation or condition.

Felony – An offense more serious than a misdemeanor, often punishable by death or imprisonment for more than one year. Felonies are graded as first, second, and third degree, with first-degree felonies being the most severe.

Fiduciary – A person who manages money or property for someone else. For example, the executor of an estate, the director of a corporation or the trustee of a trust stand in a fiduciary capacity, whose obligations are defined by law in a fiduciary code.

Foreclosure – A legal proceeding to enforce payment of a debt through the sale of property upon which a creditor holds a lien.

Forfeit – To lose or to be forced to give up property, a right, or a privilege as a result of error, misconduct, crime, or negligence.

Forgery – Intentionally falsifying or altering a document with the intent to defraud.

Fraud – An intentional misrepresentation designed to deprive another of property or rights, or to inflict injury in some manner.

Full Faith and Credit Clause – Provides that all states must recognize the legislative acts, public records, and judicial decisions of other states (Article IV, section 1 of the United States Constitution).

Garnishment – A statutory proceeding in which a creditor seizes a debtorís property or money, which is in the possession or control of a third party, or garnishee (such as a financial institution holding a bank account), to apply to the debts of the debtor.

Gift – The transfer of ownership from one person or entity to another for no consideration.

Grand Jury – A body of citizens whose duties consist of receiving complaints and accusations in criminal cases, hearing the evidence, determining whether probable cause exists that a crime has been committed, and issuing indictments when it is decided that a trial should take place.

Grantee – The person or entity to whom property is conveyed.

Grantor – The person or entity who conveys property to another.

Gross Negligence – Failure to perform a manifest duty in reckless disregard of the consequences to another personís life or property.

Guaranty – A promise to answer for payment of debt or performance obligation of another.

Guardian Ad Litem – An attorney appointed by the court to represent the interests or potential interests of a minor or an incapacitated person in a pending court proceeding.

Habeas Corpus – (Latin:ìyou have the body) A variety of writs to bring an individual before a court or judge. Most commonly refers to a writ directing the release a person from unlawful imprisonment.

Harmless Error Doctrine – The concept that minor or harmless error committed by a lower court during trial was not prejudicial to the rights of a party and does not require reversal of the judgment by an appellate court.

Hearing – A legal proceeding in which witnesses are heard and evidence is presented. Hearings are used primarily by legislative and administrative agencie,s and can be adjudicative or merely investigatory in nature.

Hearsay – Testimony that is not derived from a witness personal knowledge; therefore, it is generally inadmissible in a judicial proceeding unless it falls within one of the many exceptions which provides for admissibility.

Holding Company – Company whose business is owning stock in and supervising management of other companies in whose stock it usually has a controlling interest.

Holograph – Refers to a will or deed handwritten entirely by the testator/trix or grantor and not witnessed.

Horizontal Merger – A combination of two companies that produce the same or similar products and sell them in the same geographic market.

Hostile or Adverse Witness – A witness who is subject to cross-examination by the party calling him or her to testify because of a previously unknown antagonism to that party.

Hung Jury – A jury that cannot agree upon a verdict after a suitable period of deliberation, resulting in a mistrial of the case. In criminal cases, a hung jury allows the prosecution to try the defendant again without violating constitutional protections against double jeopardy.

Hypothetical Question – A combination of assumed or proven facts upon which an expert witness is asked to state an opinion.

Impanel – The act of the clerk of the court in making up a list of the jurors who have been selected for a trial after voir dire has concluded and both sides have used their peremptory challenges and challenges for cause. The jurors then take an oath to perform their duty after which a trial proceeds with the introduction of evidence.

Impeachment of a Witness – To attack a witness’ credibility by cross-examination or by introduction of evidence such as prior inconsistent statements.

Implied Contract – A contract in which a promise is not expressed, but rather inferred from conduct or implied in law.

Imputed Negligence – Negligence that is not committed by an individual or entity, but because of a joint legal interest or other legal relationship, he or she is liable. It is often used in a principal/agent situation. See also Respondeat Superior .

Inadmissible – Refers to evidence that, under the established rules of evidence, cannot be admitted in court.

In Camera – In chambers; in private. Typically, it is a review of evidence by a judge in chambers and not in open court.

In Personam – Referring to the jurisdiction that a court obtains over an individual or other entity.

In Re – In the matter of; concerning; regarding.

In Rem – Refers to a courtís jurisdiction over a particular piece of property, real or personal.

Indemnify/Indemnification – To compensate another for a loss or damage

Independent Contractor – Person who contracts to perform some action for another person or organization, but is not under their control as to how the work is done.

Indictment – A written accusation, presented by a grand jury, which charges a person with a crime.

Injunction – A court order prohibiting someone from doing some specified act.

Insanity – In criminal law, it is used to refer to a mental state whereby a criminal defendant, due to mental illness, lacks the ability to form the specific intent to commit a crime.

Insolvent – Generally, lacking the means to pay debts. In bankruptcy law, describes a person or entity that cannot pay debts as they fall due or in the normal course of business.

Instruction – At the close of a jury trial, the explanation given by the judge to the jury concerning the laws pertaining to the case and the application of the laws to the facts of the case.

Instrument – A formal written legal document, such as a lease, will, or contract.

Intangible Property – Property that is not of a physical nature but still has value, such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and mortgages.

Intellectual Property – Collective term used to refer to intangible property rights, such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, or trade secrets.

Inter Alia – Among other things.

Inter Alios – Between other persons.

Inter Vivos – From one living person to another. Where property passes from one living person to another, as opposed to by the death of a person.

Interlocutory – Something intervening between the beginning and the end of a lawsuit which decides some point or matter, but is not a final decision of the whole controversy.

Interrogatories – A pre-trial discovery device consisting of formal written questions posed to a party or witness, who then must provide written answers to the questions under oath.

Intervention – A procedure allowing a third person, not originally a named party to a legal action, to voluntarily become a party to it.

Intestate – Dying without leaving a will, which means that the decedentís property passes to his/her beneficiaries according to statutory law.

Joint and Several Liability – Doctrine that permits a group of defendants to be held both individually and collectively liable for all damages suffered by the plaintiff, meaning that a plaintiff can recover the entire amount of damages from one defendant, even if all of the defendants are liable.

Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship – Ownership of real property by more than one person in which each joint tenant owns the entire property, and in which ownership of the property remains entirely with the surviving joint tenants upon the death of another joint tenant.

Judge – An elected or appointed official of a trial or appellate court whose responsibilities include conducting hearings, trials, and other legal proceedings to determine disputed issues of fact and law.

Judgment – Official decision of a court resolving the issues in a legal action and stating the rights and obligations of those involved in the action, which may be used by a creditor to levy on a debtorís property and execute on such property.

Judicial District – The designation of a geographic area over which a particular court  has jurisdiction.

Juris Doctor – The degree (J.D.) bestowed by law schools upon students who have earned sufficient academic credit to be eligible to practice law.

Jurisdiction – The authority of a court to hear a particular case and to render a judgment. See also In Rem, In Personam, and Subject Matter Jurisdiction.

Jurisprudence – The philosophy of law, or the science that deals with the principles of law and legal relations.

Jury – A certain number of persons who are selected according to law, sworn to inquire about matters of fact, and declare the truth from evidence presented. See also Grand Juryîand Petit Jury.

Jury Commissioner – An officer appointed by the court to draw the names for the panel of jurors who shall be available to sit for a specified term of court.

Kiting – The wrongful practice of writing checks against a bank account where funds are insufficient to cover them in the hope that before they are presented, necessary funds will be deposited.

Landlord – The owner, or lessor, of real property who, for payment of rent, allows possession and use of such property by someone else (the lessee).

Last Clear Chance Doctrine – A rebuttal to a defense of contributory negligence that states that although a plaintiffís own negligence may have been self-endangering, the defendant had the last clear chance to avoid injuring the plaintiff.

Leading Question – A question that, when posed, suggests the answer to the witness. In most cases it can be answered with a simple yes or no . Leading questions are permitted on cross-examination, but are prohibited on a party’s direct examination of its own witness.

Legal Remedy – Seeking money damages as opposed to seeking an equitable remedy.

Levy – The legal process by which property is seized by a sheriff, who then notifies the possessor of such property that a creditor has a judgment against the debtor/owner of the property and intends to sell the property to satisfy a judgment or debt.

Liable – Responsible or accountable to another.

Libel – Defamation in print, writing, pictures, or signs. In its most general sense, any written publication that is false and injurious to an individualís reputation. See also Defamation.

Lien – Any of a variety of charges or encumbrances on property that are imposed to secure the payment of a debt or the performance or nonperformance of some act. Liens are enforced by foreclosure proceedings and can be imposed on real or personal property.

Limited Tort – A limitation on financial recovery in civil actions for personal injury resulting from automobile accidents whereby an injured party only may recover economic damages, such as lost wages. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, may not be recovered unless the individual has sustained a ìserious bodily injury.î In contrast, a full tort selection currently available in Pennsylvania motor vehicle insurance policies gives an insured the right to make claims and file suit for injuries that are not serious.

Lis Pendens – A pending lawsuit. Generally, the purpose of filing a notice of lis pendens on public records is to warn all persons that the title to certain property is in litigation, the outcome of which may affect the title to, any lien on, or possession of the property.

Litigant – A party to a lawsuit.

Locus Delicti – The place where a criminal offense occurred.

Long Arm Statute – Permits a court to exercise personal jurisdiction over a person or business that does not reside in the state where the court is located.

Malfeasance – Intentionally committing an unlawful act.

Malicious Prosecution – An action for recovery of damages that resulted to a person, property, or reputation from previous civil or criminal proceedings that were prosecuted or pursued with malice and without probable cause.

Malpractice – The failure of a professional person, such as a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, to abide by accepted standards of practice, which results in injury, loss, or damage.

Mandamus – (Latin: we command) A writ traditionally used in federal court to remedy abuses of judicial power in a lower court.

Mandatory Sentence – Legislatively established minimum sentences to which a criminal defendant must, at a minimum, be sentenced following conviction of a particular crime.

Manslaughter – The unlawful killing of another without malice. Manslaughter is classified as either voluntary or involuntary, depending upon the circumstances.

Marital Property – The property accumulated by spouses while married to each other, and which is subject to equitable distribution upon dissolution of the marriage.

Marriage – The legal union of two individuals in the bonds of matrimony.

Master – An officer of the court, usually an attorney, who is appointed by the court to assist it in specific judicial duties that may arise in a case, such as a domestic relations matter. Such duties may include taking testimony and making a report and recommended result to the court.

Material Evidence – Evidence that is relevant to issues in dispute.

Mechanicís Lien – A claim created by state statutes and obtained by a contractor or subcontractor against real property as a result of the contractor or subcontractor having made improvements to the real property.

Memorandum of Law – A document prepared by an attorney before a hearing, trial, or other legal proceeding that outlines for the court the basic facts and legal arguments concerning the matters at issue.

Mens Rea – Guilty mind. An element of criminal responsibility that must be proved to secure a conviction for a criminal offense.

Misdemeanor – A criminal offense, which is less severe than a felony, and often is punishable by probation, fine, or imprisonment other than in a penitentiary. Misdemeanors are graded as first, second, and third degree misdemeanors, with first-degree misdemeanors being the most severe.

Misfeasance – The improper performance of a lawful act.

Mistrial – A trial terminated by the court due to a prejudicial event or error occurring during the trial, or as the result of a jury being unable to reach a verdict.

Mitigating Circumstance – A circumstance that does not constitute a justification or excuse for an offense, but may reduce the degree of culpability or punishment. It is often used in sentencing proceedings for criminal offenses, especially in cases of first-degree murder where a prosecutor seeks the death penalty.

Moot – An issue that is not settled by a judicial decision due to an occurrence of events over a period of time.

Moral Turpitude – An act or behavior of baseness, vileness, or dishonesty of a high degree. A crime of moral turpitude is defined as one demonstrating depravity in the private and social duties that an individual owes to others and society at large.

Motion – A written or oral application addressed to the court that requests an action be taken, such as issuing a specific order.

Municipal Courts – Courts whose geographic authority is confined to a city or community.

Murder – The unlawful killing of a human being by another with malice aforethought. Murder has three degrees of culpability: first, second, and third-degree, with first-degree being the most severe.

Negligence – An act or the omission to do something which a reasonable and prudent person would, or would not, do under similar circumstances.

Negotiable Instrument – A document, such as a check, note, or bill that evidences an established financial liability or promise from one person to another, which may be transferred from one person to another for consideration.

Nolo Contendere – (Latin: I will not contest it) A plea entered in a criminal case by the defendant which indicates that the prosecution has enough evidence to establish the defendantís guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; however, it is not an admission or denial of the charges. Such a plea is likely in antitrust actions, for instance, because the plea may not be used against the defendant in a civil action based upon the same acts.

Non Obstante Veredicto – “Notwithstanding the verdict”. A judgment entered by the court for one party despite a juryís verdict against that party. A motion for a directed verdict is a precondition to a granting of a judgment n.o.v.

Notice of Appeal – A document that gives notice of an intention to appeal, which is filed with the appellate court and served on the opposing party.

Novation – Substitution of a new contract, debt, or obligation for an existing one.

Objection – In a trial, calling the courtís attention to improper proposed evidence or to a trial procedure. An objection requires a ruling by a court, which either sustains or overrules the objection.

Of Counsel – Counsel assisting in the preparation, management, or presentation on appeal of a case, as opposed to the principal attorney of record.

Opinion – The formal written decision rendered by a judge or court in a case reciting the governing facts and legal principles of a case, and the reasons upon which the decision is based.

Opinion Evidence – Evidence consisting of what a witness believes or infers concerning disputed facts, as opposed to a witness’ personal knowledge of a fact. Except in the case of expert witnesses, opinion evidence has limited admissibility.

Option – The right to purchase or lease something at agreed-upon terms and price within a set period of time.

Order – A written statement of a judge or court that compels an individual or entity to do or not do something.

Ordinance – A law enacted by the legislative body of a borough, township, or city that is enforceable within the borough, township, or city.

Original Jurisdiction – The authority of a court to hear and decide a case in its initial presentation.

Panel – The whole body of persons summoned as jurors for a term of court or those selected to hear a particular case.

Pardon – Action by a governor or the United States president that relieves a criminal defendant from serving the sentence imposed.

Parole – Releasing a criminal defendant after serving part of a sentence.

Parol Evidence Rule – When parties have a written agreement, all previous oral agreements and negotiations, or parol evidence, merge with the written agreement and may not be used to prove the terms of the agreement unless there was a mutual mistake or fraud in the preparation of the written agreement.

Party – Someone named in a legal matter who has a direct interest in the outcome of it.

Patent – A property right issued and regulated by the U.S. government generally giving the owner the right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention, unique idea, discovery, invention, or process, for a definite term of years.

Per Curium – (Latin: by the court) An opinion or order by the whole court, as opposed to an opinion or order of one judge of the court.

Peremptory Challenge/Peremptory Strike – A challenge or strike used to reject a prospective juror without stating a cause, as opposed to a challenge for cause, which questions a prospective jurorís ability to sit as a juror as a result of bias, prejudice, or other circumstance that would prevent the juror from being able to deliberate fairly.

Pension Plan – A defined or fixed benefit pension plan is where an employer promises specific benefits to each employee. A qualified pension plan is where an employer can take a tax deduction in the year it makes contributions, but payments are not taxable to employees until they receive them.

Performance Bond – Type of contract bond, given by a contractor, which protects against loss due to the inability or refusal of a contractor to complete the contract.

Perjury – False statement of material importance made under oath by a person who does not believe the statement is true.

Petition – A written request addressed to the court asking for a court order or some other form of relief.

Petit Jury – A jury comprised of twelve or less persons for the trial of a civil or criminal case.

Plaintiff – A person who initiates a civil lawsuit.

Plea – To make a defendant’s formal answer to a plaintiffís complaint or to a criminal indictment. The five pleas possible for a criminal defendant are: (1) not guilty (a complete denial of guilt); (2) not guilty by reason of insanity (a defense of criminal insanity); (3) no contest (nolo contendere) (a defendant denies guilt but admits that the facts on which the charge is based would be sufficient evidence for a jury to convict the defendant); (4) guilty (a complete admission of guilt); and (5) guilty but mentally ill (a defendant admits guilt but blames his/her criminal acts on a mental illness).

Pleading – Written documents filed by parties in civil lawsuits that set forth the partiesí respective claims and defenses. Generally, a pleading that contains allegations of fact requires another party to file a responsive pleading.

Polling the Jury – Asking each juror individually to state his/her verdict in open court after the verdict is read.

Post-Trial Motions – A motion filed by a party that is dissatisfied with a trial result. Post-trial motions are available in civil and criminal cases, and are subject to specific rules concerning the timely filing and disposition of the post-trial motions. An appeal may be filed to an appellate court once post-trial motions have been decided by the trial court.

Power of Attorney – A written document authorizing an individual to take certain legal actions on behalf of another person.

Praecipe – A legal document filed by a party in a civil or criminal case that is addressed to the clerk of the court, which directs that

Prejudicial Error – An error that requires an appellate court to reverse the judgment of a lower court because the error may have had a substantial effect on the outcome of the trial in the lower court. Synonymous with reversible error.

Preliminary Arraignment – Usually occurring immediately after arrest, a preliminary arraignment is when a district justice informs a criminal defendant of the charges that are being filed and determines bail.

Preliminary Hearing – A hearing before a judge to determine whether an individual charged with a crime should be held for trial.

Preliminary Objection – A responsive pleading in a civil case in which a party alleges that another partyís previous pleading is legally defective and asks that the court either dismiss or strike part of or all the previous pleading.

Preponderance of the Evidence – The burden of proof in a civil case whereby a party must present a greater weight of credible evidence than the evidence presented by the opposing party.

Presentment – A written accusation of a crime initiated by a grand jury, as opposed to an indictment in response to a government suit.

Prima Facie – (Latin: on the face of it) A degree of proof whereby there is enough evidence for a reasonable person to believe that a set of events may have occurred.

Priority of Liens – The order in which liens on a property are paid. Generally, the rule is first in time, first in priority; however, certain liens, such as those for unpaid taxes, may have priority regardless of when they were filed.

Privileged Communications – Statements protected from forced disclosure in court based on the fact that they were made within a protected relationship, such as husband/wife or attorney/client.

Pro Bono Publico – For The Public good. Pro bono legal work is providing legal services without charge.

Probable Cause – In criminal law, reasonable grounds to justify a search or arrest or to bring a person to trial.

Probate – In strict usage, a court procedure to prove a will valid or invalid. The term generally refers to everything related to administering an estate.

Probation – Allowing a person convicted of a criminal offense to remain out of jail under the supervision of a probation officer for a specified length of time. A criminal defendantís probation may be revoked if he/she violates a term or condition of probation, or is convicted of a new offense during the probationary period.

Procedural Law – Generally, the body of law establishing the method of enforcing rights, as compared to ìsubstantiveî laws establishing what those rights are.

Product Liability – Legal responsibility of manufacturers and sellers of products to compensate persons harmed by their products.

Promissory Note – A written promise to pay a determined sum of money to a named person according to specified terms.

Promulgate – Announce officially.

Property Bond – Posting real estate as bail to secure a criminal defendantís appearance in court.

Prosecutor – One who instigates the prosecution upon which an accused is arrested, or one who prosecutes another for a crime in the name of the government.

Protection from Abuse Order – An order of court that prohibits someone, such as a spouse, from verbally or physically harassing, stalking, or assaulting such other person. A violation of a protection from abuse order may result in immediate incarceration.

Prothonotary – The public officer who acts as the principal clerk of courts in civil matters.

Proximate Cause – Cause sufficiently closely related to its effect, in time and foreseeability, to justify imposing legal consequences.

Public Defender – Attorney employed by government or appointed by court to represent indigent criminal defendants.

Punitive Damages – Damages awarded to a plaintiff to punish a defendant for committing acts found to be outrageous and not tolerable in a civilized society.

Quash – To vacate an appeal, an indictment, summons, or subpoena.

Quasi-judicial – An act that is done, or authority that is exercised by a public body, which is in part administrative and in part the hearing and determination of facts.

Quid Pro Quo – Something for something; a fair return or consideration.

Quitclaim Deed – A deed that does not state a grantor’s interest in real property, but rather states that the grantor transfers to a grantee whatever interest he/she possesses. A quitclaim deed contains no warranties of title.

Quo Warranto – A lawsuit challenging the legal right of a person who holds a particular public office to hold that office.

Quorum – A sufficient number of members of a governing body gathered at a particular time and place to permit official action or deliberations of such governing body.

Real Estate – Property consisting of land, buildings, and anything permanently affixed to the land and buildings, such as fences or light fixtures.

Reasonable Doubt – Doubt based on the exercise of rational judgment and the presence or absence of evidence to support a conclusion. Usually refers to the standard used to determine the guilt or innocence of a defendant in a criminal case.

Rebuttal – That which tends to explain, contradict, or disprove evidence offered by the adverse party.

Receiver – In bankruptcy, an appointee of the court who manages the assets of the bankrupt party, pending legal action.

Record Costs – Fees paid to the court or agents of a court and the sheriff as part of a civil lawsuit.

Recusal – A judgeís withdrawal from hearing a lawsuit because of personal interest, or bias, or the appearance of bias.

Redirect Examination – Questioning of a witness by a party after the witness has been subjected to cross-examination by opposing parties.

Referee – A person to whom a pending case is referred by the court in order for that person to take testimony and report to the court.

Register or Registrar – A court officer whose duty it is to keep official public records, such as the register of wills or recorder of deeds.

Registered Trademark – Governmental registration granted for words and/or symbols employed to identify the source of goods or services.

Remand – To send a case back to a lower court for further action.

Removal – Usually refers to an order by a court directing the transfer of a case to another court.

Replevin – A lawsuit filed to obtain possession of personal property wrongfully held by someone else.

Reply – Generally, a pleading by a plaintiff in response to a pleading by a defendant.

Res Ipsa Loquitur – The thing speaks for itself. The doctrine imposes negligence upon a defendant without the plaintiff actually proving negligence. Use is limited to cases in which the cause of the plaintiffís injury was entirely under the control of the defendant, and the injury only could have been caused by negligence of the defendant.

Res Judicata – A rule of law which states that once a final judgment has been rendered by a court, the matter can not be re-litigated between the parties.

Rescission – The act of withdrawing, nullifying, voiding, or canceling a contract.

Respondeat Superior – Let the master answer. A doctrine which means that an employer or principal is responsible for the acts and omissions of its employees or agents for acts or omissions occurring within the scope of their duties as employees or agents.

Respondent – The party who answers a petition or an appeal, such as an appellee.

Responsive Pleading – A pleading filed by a party in a civil lawsuit that either contains objections to a partyís previous pleading, or admits or denies allegations of fact contained in another partyís pleading.

Restitution – When a criminal defendant pays money to the victim of a crime to reimburse the victim for a financial loss occurring as a result of the defendantís criminal activity.

Restraining Order – Issued by a court as a temporary measure to keep someone from acting until the court has determined whether to issue an injunction against the act.

Restrictive Covenant – Provision in a deed that puts limitations on the use of the property; or, in a partnership or employment contract, provision that limits an individualís freedom to do the same sort of work after the contract ends.

Retain – The act of a client to employ legal counsel.

Retainer – Often refers to the initial fee paid by a client to an attorney to secure the attorney’s services.

Reversible Error – See Prejudicial Error.

Robbery – The taking of property from another by force or with the threat of force.

Rule to Show Cause – An order of court stating that a further order of court will become final unless a party files exceptions and/or a response within a defined time period.

Rule of Court – An order made by a court establishing the general rules of practice before the court.

Rules of Evidence – Rules, statutes, and case decisions that govern what evidence can be admitted in hearings and trials.

Satisfaction – To pay a debt in its entirety.

Search – A government officialís inspection of private property, either real or personal, for the purpose of discovering weapons, contraband, or evidence.

Search Warrant – A written order issued by a court that directs an officer to search a specific location for evidence of criminal activity.

Seizure – The detention of an individual or his/her property that restricts the individualís or the propertyís freedom of movement.

Sentence – Following a verdict of guilty, or a plea of guilty, guilty but mentally ill, or nolo contendere, a sentence is the judgment in a criminal action in which a court imposes its punishment as a fine, probation, imprisonment, or a combination thereof.

Servant – An employee or one who acts for the benefit of another.

Service of Process – Official notification authorized by a rule of court that a person has been named as a party to a lawsuit or has been accused of some offense. Process consists of a summons, citation, or warrant to which a copy of a complaint or pleading may be attached.

Sentencing Guidelines – Guidelines promulgated by the U.S. Sentencing Commission on Sentencing that provide for recommended ranges of minimum sentences to which a criminal defendant may be sentenced.

Settlement – An agreement reached between disputing parties.

Several Liability – Liability attaching to a party sufficient to support a suit without reference to anyone elseís liability.

Sheriff – The elected county official whose principal duties include aiding the criminal and civil courts, such as keeping order in a courtroom, protecting participants in civil and criminal cases, service of process, executing judgments, and holding judicial sales.

Silent Partner – An investor who does not manage a company but shares in profits and losses.

Sine Qua Non – An indispensable requisite or condition.

Slander – Injuring anotherís reputation, business, or means of livelihood by false and derogatory spoken words. See also Defamation.

Sovereign Immunity – The doctrine that a government or governmental agency can not be sued without the consent of the Legislature.

Specific Intent – The formulation of intent necessary to make an act criminal. It refers to a criminal defendantís designed purpose that his/her act created the expected result.

Specific Performance – In equity, a court order compelling a party to do a specific act. Where damages would be inadequate compensation for a breach of contract, a contractor may be compelled to perform the act that was agreed upon.

Spin-off – Subsidiary of a corporation organized by a parent corporation. Part of the assets of the parent are transferred to the subsidiary, whose stock is then transferred to the parent’s shareholders without requiring that they give up any of their stock in the parent.

Standard of Proof – Degree of proof required in a specific kind of case. In criminal law, it is proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and in the majority of civil cases it is proof by the preponderance of the evidence.

Stare Decisis – Refers to general policy of the courts not to overturn precedents established through litigation.

Statute – An act of a legislature, which constitutes a law.

Statute of Limitations – The time limit within which an action must be brought after its cause arises. Statutes vary in length depending on the type of case. The unexcused failure to commence an action within that time bars it forever. Statutes of limitations apply to civil and criminal cases.

Stay – A court order that temporarily suspends a case or the implementation of a court order.

Stipulation – An agreement by opposing attorneys with respect to any matter involved in a proceeding.

Strict Liability – Doctrine that holds defendants liable for harm caused by their actions regardless of their intentions or lack of negligence or fault. Often applied to manufacturers or sellers of defective products.

Subject Matter Jurisdiction – The authority of a court to hear cases involving particular issues.

Subpoena – A court-authorized document compelling witnesses to appear to give testimony or to produce certain documents, or both. A subpoena duces tecum compels production of certain specific documents and other items by a witness when responding to a subpoena.

Substantive Law – Law dealing with rights, duties, and liabilities between individuals or entities, as opposed to procedural law.

Successor Liability – In corporate law, liability of a corporation for its predecessorís obligations.

Summons – A writ directing a sheriff or other officer to notify a named person that an action has been instituted against him in court. A summons may require a person to appear on a specific date to answer a complaint.

Sunset Law – Statute requiring administrative entities periodically to justify their continued existence to a legislature.

Sunshine Law – Requires governmental bodies to hold open meetings.

Supersedeas – Stay of proceedings.î A writ or court order suspending legal proceedings or the pursuit of any further action in regards to a pending matter. See also “Stay.”

Suppression Hearing – A hearing concerning a criminal defendantís motion to prohibit the use of certain evidence that is alleged to have been obtained in violation of the defendantís rights. The hearing is held prior to trial and the prosecution has the burden of producing evidence and establishing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendantís rights were not violated in the process of obtaining the evidence.

Supra – “Above.” As used in legal documents, it refers the reader to a preceding part of the document.

Surety – Person who undertakes to pay money or perform some act in place of someone else if that person does not meet his/her obligation.

Tangible Personal Property – Items of property that, generally speaking, are movable and not affixed or connected to land or buildings.

Temporary Restraining Order – An order issued by a court in urgent situations that precludes someone from doing something that he/she is doing or intends to do.

Tenancy – The possessing of lands, buildings, or personal property by right or title.

Tenancy by the Entirety – Joint ownership of real estate by husband and wife, whereby upon the death of either, the other takes title to the whole property.

Tenant – A possessor of real estate under a lease or other agreement with someone who has a superior claim of title to the real estate.

Tenant in Common – Multiple owners of real or personal property, whereby each owner owns a specific percent of the property.

Tender Offer – Takeover bid; offer to buy a companyís stock made directly to its stockholders by another company.

Testamentary – Of or pertaining to a will.

Testate – Description of an estate where a decedent has left a valid will.

Testator or Testatrix – The person who makes a will or leaves a will at death.

Testimony – Oral evidence given by a witness under oath, either orally or in the written form of an affidavit or deposition.

Theft – The unlawful taking of personal property belonging to another.

Tipstaff – Court-appointed officer who serves the court in various ways while it is in session.

Title – Evidence of a personís right to hold or possess certain real or personal property.

Tort – In civil law, an injury or wrong committed against the person or property of another, with the exception of breach of contract.

Trademark – Words and/or symbols employed to identify the source of goods or services.

Trade Name – Name that distinguishes a business from its competitors.

Trade Secret – Something that gives a company a competitive advantage, such as technical information, that is kept confidential in the company.

Transcript – The official record of a trial, hearing, deposition, or other legal proceeding.

Trespass – An offense against anotherís person or property, whereby an individual, without justification, physically imposes upon the person or property of another.

Trial Court – A court that conducts hearings and trials by accepting testimony and other evidence to reach a verdict or decision, as opposed to an appellate court where appeals of decisions made in trial courts are heard.

Trial De Novo – A new trial or retrial in which a case is heard as if no trial had previously taken place. In a trial de novo, no weight is placed on the findings or outcome in the previous case.

Trust – An arrangement in which the owner of real or personal property transfers ownership of such property to a trustee who holds and manages the property for the benefit of a third party, called a ìbeneficiary.î It also may refer to a document creating a trust.

Undue Influence – The abuse of a confidential relationship by one party who exercises overbearing control over another person when convincing that person to do an act or to enter into a transaction. It usually is to the financial benefit of the individual exercising the control.

Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.) – One of the Uniform Laws drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the American Law Institute; governs commercial transactions. It has been adopted in whole or substantial part by all U.S. states.

Unlawful Detainer – Forcibly restricting an individualís freedom of movement without probable cause or without the legal authority to do so.

Unsecured Bail – Releasing a criminal defendant on bail pending disposition of a criminal charge based on his/her promise that he/she will appear at future proceedings. If the person does not appear, he/she agrees to owe a specified amount of money as forfeited bail.

Usury – The act or practice of charging a borrower more than the maximum legal interest rate on a loan.

Vacate – Set an order or decision aside or render it void.

Variance – Authorized departure from some regulation or ordinance. For example, authorization to use property.

Special thanks to the Allegheny Bar Association and attorney Jennifer Poller for compiling these legal definitions.

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presentation

Definition of presentation

• fairing [ British ]
• freebee
• largess

Examples of presentation in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'presentation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing presentation

• breech presentation

Dictionary Entries Near presentation

present arms

presentation copy

Cite this Entry

“Presentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presentation. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of presentation, medical definition, medical definition of presentation, more from merriam-webster on presentation.

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Meaning of presentation in English

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presentation noun ( EVENT )

• talk She will give a talk on keeping kids safe on the internet.
• lecture The lecture is entitled "War and the Modern American Presidency".
• presentation We were given a presentation of progress made to date.
• speech You might have to make a speech when you accept the award.
• address He took the oath of office then delivered his inaugural address.
• oration It was to become one of the most famous orations in American history.
• The presentation was a collaborative effort by all the children in the class .
• The charity invited the press to a presentation of its plans for the future .
• The magazine asked its readers to send in their comments about the new style of presentation.
• Jenny's retiring and I think there's going to be a small presentation this afternoon .
• Graduates must be in full academic dress at the presentation of certificates .
• call for papers
• extemporize
• maiden speech
• talk at someone

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

presentation noun ( APPEARANCE )

• adverse conditions
• good/bad karma idiom
• have it in you idiom
• unaffiliated
• undercurrent

presentation | American Dictionary

Presentation | business english, examples of presentation, collocations with presentation, presentation.

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Word of the Day

relating to the scientific study of animals, especially their structure

Dead ringers and peas in pods (Talking about similarities, Part 2)

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• presentation (EVENT)
• presentation (APPEARANCE)
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Key facts about the abortion debate in America

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade – the decision that had guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion for nearly 50 years – has shifted the legal battle over abortion to the states, with some prohibiting the procedure and others moving to safeguard it.

As the nation’s post-Roe chapter begins, here are key facts about Americans’ views on abortion, based on two Pew Research Center polls: one conducted from June 25-July 4 , just after this year’s high court ruling, and one conducted in March , before an earlier leaked draft of the opinion became public.

This analysis primarily draws from two Pew Research Center surveys, one surveying 10,441 U.S. adults conducted March 7-13, 2022, and another surveying 6,174 U.S. adults conducted June 27-July 4, 2022. Here are the questions used for the March survey , along with responses, and the questions used for the survey from June and July , along with responses.

Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

A majority of the U.S. public disapproves of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe. About six-in-ten adults (57%) disapprove of the court’s decision that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion and that abortion laws can be set by states, including 43% who strongly disapprove, according to the summer survey. About four-in-ten (41%) approve, including 25% who strongly approve.

About eight-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (82%) disapprove of the court’s decision, including nearly two-thirds (66%) who strongly disapprove. Most Republicans and GOP leaners (70%) approve , including 48% who strongly approve.

Most women (62%) disapprove of the decision to end the federal right to an abortion. More than twice as many women strongly disapprove of the court’s decision (47%) as strongly approve of it (21%). Opinion among men is more divided: 52% disapprove (37% strongly), while 47% approve (28% strongly).

About six-in-ten Americans (62%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to the summer survey – little changed since the March survey conducted just before the ruling. That includes 29% of Americans who say it should be legal in all cases and 33% who say it should be legal in most cases. About a third of U.S. adults (36%) say abortion should be illegal in all (8%) or most (28%) cases.

Generally, Americans’ views of whether abortion should be legal remained relatively unchanged in the past few years , though support fluctuated somewhat in previous decades.

Relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the legality of abortion – either supporting or opposing it at all times, regardless of circumstances. The March survey found that support or opposition to abortion varies substantially depending on such circumstances as when an abortion takes place during a pregnancy, whether the pregnancy is life-threatening or whether a baby would have severe health problems.

While Republicans’ and Democrats’ views on the legality of abortion have long differed, the 46 percentage point partisan gap today is considerably larger than it was in the recent past, according to the survey conducted after the court’s ruling. The wider gap has been largely driven by Democrats: Today, 84% of Democrats say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, up from 72% in 2016 and 63% in 2007. Republicans’ views have shown far less change over time: Currently, 38% of Republicans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, nearly identical to the 39% who said this in 2007.

However, the partisan divisions over whether abortion should generally be legal tell only part of the story. According to the March survey, sizable shares of Democrats favor restrictions on abortion under certain circumstances, while majorities of Republicans favor abortion being legal in some situations , such as in cases of rape or when the pregnancy is life-threatening.

There are wide religious divides in views of whether abortion should be legal , the summer survey found. An overwhelming share of religiously unaffiliated adults (83%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, as do six-in-ten Catholics. Protestants are divided in their views: 48% say it should be legal in all or most cases, while 50% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. Majorities of Black Protestants (71%) and White non-evangelical Protestants (61%) take the position that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while about three-quarters of White evangelicals (73%) say it should be illegal in all (20%) or most cases (53%).

In the March survey, 72% of White evangelicals said that the statement “human life begins at conception, so a fetus is a person with rights” reflected their views extremely or very well . That’s much greater than the share of White non-evangelical Protestants (32%), Black Protestants (38%) and Catholics (44%) who said the same. Overall, 38% of Americans said that statement matched their views extremely or very well.

Catholics, meanwhile, are divided along religious and political lines in their attitudes about abortion, according to the same survey. Catholics who attend Mass regularly are among the country’s strongest opponents of abortion being legal, and they are also more likely than those who attend less frequently to believe that life begins at conception and that a fetus has rights. Catholic Republicans, meanwhile, are far more conservative on a range of abortion questions than are Catholic Democrats.

Women (66%) are more likely than men (57%) to say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, according to the survey conducted after the court’s ruling.

More than half of U.S. adults – including 60% of women and 51% of men – said in March that women should have a greater say than men in setting abortion policy . Just 3% of U.S. adults said men should have more influence over abortion policy than women, with the remainder (39%) saying women and men should have equal say.

The March survey also found that by some measures, women report being closer to the abortion issue than men . For example, women were more likely than men to say they had given “a lot” of thought to issues around abortion prior to taking the survey (40% vs. 30%). They were also considerably more likely than men to say they personally knew someone (such as a close friend, family member or themselves) who had had an abortion (66% vs. 51%) – a gender gap that was evident across age groups, political parties and religious groups.

Relatively few Americans view the morality of abortion in stark terms , the March survey found. Overall, just 7% of all U.S. adults say having an abortion is morally acceptable in all cases, and 13% say it is morally wrong in all cases. A third say that having an abortion is morally wrong in most cases, while about a quarter (24%) say it is morally acceptable in most cases. An additional 21% do not consider having an abortion a moral issue.

Among Republicans, most (68%) say that having an abortion is morally wrong either in most (48%) or all cases (20%). Only about three-in-ten Democrats (29%) hold a similar view. Instead, about four-in-ten Democrats say having an abortion is morally  acceptable  in most (32%) or all (11%) cases, while an additional 28% say it is not a moral issue. 

White evangelical Protestants overwhelmingly say having an abortion is morally wrong in most (51%) or all cases (30%). A slim majority of Catholics (53%) also view having an abortion as morally wrong, but many also say it is morally acceptable in most (24%) or all cases (4%), or that it is not a moral issue (17%). Among religiously unaffiliated Americans, about three-quarters see having an abortion as morally acceptable (45%) or not a moral issue (32%).

• Religion & Abortion

Jane Doe is a a research analyst focusing on social and demographic research at Pew Research Center

What the data says about abortion in the U.S.

Support for legal abortion is widespread in many countries, especially in europe, nearly a year after roe’s demise, americans’ views of abortion access increasingly vary by where they live, by more than two-to-one, americans say medication abortion should be legal in their state, most latinos say democrats care about them and work hard for their vote, far fewer say so of gop, most popular.

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President Biden signs law to ban TikTok nationwide unless it is sold

Bobby Allyn

President Biden has signed a law that gives ByteDance up to a year to fully divest from TikTok, or face a nationwide ban. Kiichiro Sato/AP hide caption

President Biden has signed a law that gives ByteDance up to a year to fully divest from TikTok, or face a nationwide ban.

President Biden on Wednesday signed a law that would ban Chinese-owned TikTok unless it is sold within a year.

It is the most serious threat yet to the video-streaming app's future in the U.S., intensifying America's tech war with China.

Still, the law is not expected to cause any immediate disruption to TikTok, as a forthcoming legal challenge, and various hurdles to selling the app, will most likely cause months of delay.

The measure was tucked into a bill providing foreign aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The law stipulates that ByteDance must sell its stake in TikTok in 12 months under the threat of being shut down.

U.S. bans noncompete agreements for nearly all jobs

The move is the culmination of Washington turning the screws on TikTok for years.

Chinese tech giant ByteDance, in 2017, purchased the popular karaoke app Musical.ly and relaunched the service as TikTok. Since then, the app has been under the microscope of national security officials in Washington fearing possible influence by the Chinese government.

Despite concerns in Washington, TikTok has soared. It has become the trendsetter in the world of short-form video and is used by 170 million Americans, which is about half of the country. It is where one-third of young people get their news, according to Pew Research Center.

Trump to score additional $1.2 billion windfall thanks to his Truth Social app

Yet lawmakers and the Biden administration argue that as long as TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, it is beholden to the dictates of China's authoritarian regime

"Congress is not acting to punish ByteDance, TikTok, or any other individual company," said Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, in remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon.

"Congress is acting to prevent foreign adversaries from conducting espionage, surveillance, maligned operations, harming vulnerable Americans, our servicemen and women, and our U.S. government personnel."

In a video posted to the platform soon after Biden signed the bill, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said he is confident TikTok would win in court, adding that users should not expect issues with the app in the meantime.

"Rest assured, we aren't going anywhere," Chew said. "The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail again."

Google worker says the company is 'silencing our voices' after dozens are fired

Tiktok plans to take biden administration to court over the law.

If not sold within a year, the law would make it illegal for web-hosting services to support TikTok, and it would force Google and Apple to remove TikTok from app stores — rendering the app unusable with time.

It marks the first time the U.S. has passed a law that could trigger the ban of a social media platform, something that has been condemned by civil liberties groups and Constitutional scholars.

TikTok has vowed to take the Biden administration to court, claiming the law would suppress the free speech of millions of Americans.

The sentiment was echoed by Kate Ruane, who runs the Center for Democracy & Technology's Free Expression Project, who said the law is unconstitutional and a blow to free expression in the U.S.

"Congress shouldn't be in the business of banning platforms," Ruane said. "They should be working to enact comprehensive privacy legislation that protects our private data no matter where we choose to engage online."

Selling TikTok won't be so easy

Any company, or set of investors, angling to purchase TikTok would have to receive the blessing of the Chinese government, and officials in Beijing have strongly resisted a forced sell.

In particular, ByteDance owns the engine of TikTok, its hyper-personalized algorithm that pulls people in and keeps them highly engaged with their feed.

Chinese officials have placed content-recommendation algorithms on what is known as an export-control list, meaning the government has additional say over how the technology is ever sold.

Law took TikTok by surprise

By almost any measure, the law passed rapidly, and it caught many inside TikTok off guard, especially because the company had just breathed a sigh of relief.

Last month, the House passed a bill to compel TikTok to find a buyer, or face a nationwide ban, but the effort stalled in the Senate.

The legislation gave TikTok a six-month window to find a buyer, which some Senators said was too little time.

A new push, this time attaching the divest-or-be-banned provision to foreign aid, fasted-tracked the proposal. It mirrors last month's attempt, but it extends the sell-by deadline, now giving TikTok nine months to find a buyer, with the option of a three-month extension if a potential acquisition is in play.

Sen. Markey: 'American companies are doing the same thing'

Lawmakers from both parties have argued that TikTok poses a national security risk to Americans, since the Chinese government could use the app to spy on Americans, or influence what U.S. users see on their TikTok feeds, something that has gained new urgency in an election year.

But some have pushed back, including Democratic Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts. He said on the Senate floor on Tuesday that there is "no credible evidence" that TikTok presents a real national security threat just because its parent company is based in China.

National intelligence laws in China would require ByteDance to hand over data on Americans if authorities there sought it, but TikTok says it has never received such a request.

Markey said concerns about digital security, the mental health of young people and data privacy should be addressed with comprehensive legislation encompassing the entire tech industry, not just TikTok.

"TikTok poses a serious risk to the privacy and mental health of our young people," Markey said. "But that problem isn't unique to TikTok and certainly doesn't justify a TikTok ban," he said. "American companies are doing the same thing, too."

Everything TikTok users need to know about a possible ban in the U.S.

Congress has passed a bill that could make it happen. here’s how and when it will affect you..

American officials have been warning for years about the risks of TikTok, but it has been mostly talk and little action.

This week, though, a new law will probably give the U.S. government the authority to try to ban one of the most popular apps in the country. (The key word is “try.”)

Is this it for TikTok and those of you who use the social app? Should you delete it and walk away from your communities or livelihood on TikTok? Read on.

Possible TikTok ban

President Biden announced he has signed legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok after Congress passed legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok, delivering a historic rebuke of the video-sharing platform’s Chinese ownership.

What the bill does: The bill, which saw bipartisan support in the House and Senate , would require the social media app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance , to sell off the immensely popular app or face a nationwide ban. Here’s what you should know about the potential ban .

What’s next: The provision gives ByteDance roughly nine months to sell the wildly popular app or face a national ban , a deadline Biden could extend the deadline by 90 days. TikTok is expected to challenge the measure , setting up a high-stakes and potentially lengthy legal battle over the app’s fate.

Reactions: TikTok creators say a ban would threaten their lives and livelihoods, while young users of the app previously asked Congress why they aren’t focusing on “bigger problems.”

Will TikTok Be Banned in the U.S.? What the New Law Means for the App’s Users

By Todd Spangler

Todd Spangler

NY Digital Editor

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• Will TikTok Be Banned in the U.S.? What the New Law Means for the App’s Users 9 hours ago

TikTok could be banned in the U.S. as soon as January 2025. Here’s what the new law means for users of the popular short-form video app.

Did the TikTok Ban Bill Become a Law?

When could tiktok actually be shut down in the u.s., popular on variety, why is tiktok potentially getting banned in the u.s..

Many American lawmakers are worried that the Chinese communist regime could “weaponize” TikTok, given its control by Beijing-based internet giant ByteDance — and spy on U.S. citizens, as well as military and government personnel. China is one of four countries designated as a “foreign adversary” under U.S. law (alongside North Korea, Russia and Iran). Chinese companies like ByteDance “don’t owe their obligation to their customers, or their shareholders, but they owe it to the PRC [People’s Republic of China] government,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said on the Senate floor Tuesday in arguing for the legislation.

What’s Next for TikTok and ByteDance?

If the effort to overturn the law fails, ByteDance may try to sell its roughly 40% stake in TikTok to an entity or investor group that would meet with U.S. approval. But that move could be blocked by Chinese authorities, who have insisted that any such sale would represent a technology export. In addition, TikTok would be a very expensive property — and that would limit the pool of potential buyers. The app generated $16 billion in U.S. revenue in 2023, which valuing the business at up to $150 billion, per a Financial Times report .

Does TikTok Have a First Amendment Case Against the New Law?

It has won using that defense before. An executive order by the Trump administration to  force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban was found unconstitutional  by federal courts on First Amendment grounds. Last December, a  federal judge blocked Montana’s first-of-its-kind statewide ban of TikTok , ruling that the law likely violated the First Amendment.

Supporters of the TikTok divest-or-ban law argue that it isn’t really a “ban” — and that it doesn’t restrict free speech. The only requirement is that it the app be owned by a company that isn’t subject to the control of an adversarial foreign government. As a precedent, backers point to the 2020 sale of dating app Grindr by Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. to a group of U.S.-based investors, a transaction forced by the U.S. government over concerns about the privacy of the app’s users.

“Foreign adversaries use technology for social and political control. There is no individual right to privacy or freedom of speech in these autocracies,” Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said Tuesday. “U.S. media companies are not allowed to operate in China. In fact, China leads the world in using surveillance and censorship to keep tabs on its own population and to repress dissidence.” Cantwell added: “Governments that respect freedom of speech do not build backdoors into hardware or software, into apps on phones, or into laptops.”

What Does the TikTok Law Mean for Creators?

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Arizona House Votes to Repeal 1864 Abortion Law

The almost-complete ban on abortions in the state could go into effect as soon as June 8 if the State Legislature does not repeal it, the state’s attorney general said.

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By Jack Healy ,  Elizabeth Dias and Kellen Browning

Jack Healy reported from Phoenix, Elizabeth Dias from New York and Kellen Browning from San Francisco.

Arizona took a major step on Wednesday toward scrapping an 1864 law banning abortion, when three Republican lawmakers in the state House of Representatives broke ranks with their party and voted with Democrats to repeal the ban.

Republicans have narrow majorities in both chambers of Arizona’s Legislature, and had blocked earlier repeal efforts in the two weeks since the Arizona Supreme Court ignited a political firestorm by reviving the Civil War-era law.

But on Wednesday, despite last-minute delay tactics and emotional speeches from conservatives who equated abortion with murder and slavery, Republican lawmakers from districts in the Phoenix area and a rural farming county joined with Democrats to pass the repeal bill, 32 to 28.

The State Senate could take up a vote on repeal next week. With two Republican senators already supporting repeal, Democrats say they believe they will prevail. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat and a vocal supporter of abortion rights, has been urging lawmakers to repeal the 1864 law and is expected to sign a repeal if it reaches her desk.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, a Democrat, who introduced the one-sentence bill to repeal the 1864 law, said on the floor of the House after the vote on Wednesday. “The eyes of the world have been on Arizona. A repeal keeps us from going backward.”

Democrats and abortion-rights groups celebrated the vote as an important move toward undoing what they called a draconian intrusion into women’s rights. The 1864 law outlaws abortions from the moment of conception except to save the mother’s life, and it makes no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

“This is a major win for reproductive freedom,” Angela Florez, president of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, said in a statement.

Some Republicans — including former President Donald J. Trump, who has taken credit for overturning Roe v. Wade — have urged the Legislature to scrap the 1864 law quickly, to try to head off a possible election-year backlash. But conservative politicians in Arizona and abortion opponents who filled the House gallery on Wednesday angrily denounced the repeal vote.

As the members prepared to vote, some anti-abortion activists stood silently with their hands raised. Some quietly prayed. Others walked out before the votes were tallied.

“I don’t know what just happened here,” said House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican. “I’m done.”

The bill passed with support from every Democrat in the chamber, as well as from three Republican representatives — Matt Gress, Tim Dunn and Justin Wilmeth. Moments after the vote, Mr. Toma removed Mr. Gress from his seat on the House’s appropriations committee. He declined to say whether the move was punishment for Mr. Gress’s support of the repeal.

“I’m disgusted, I’m disappointed,” said state Representative Alexander Kolodin, a Republican who tried to thwart the repeal vote on Wednesday by introducing a measure that would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers who violated Arizona’s laws.

After the repeal passed on Wednesday, Cathi Herrod, the president of the Center for Arizona Policy and one of Arizona’s most prominent opponents of abortion, wrote on X: “Tears today for the lives of unborn children whose lives will be lost and their mothers harmed by today’s Arizona House.”

They stood in contrast to a handful of top Republicans, including Mr. Trump, who face competitive November elections and who sought to distance themselves from what appeared to be a politically unpopular law.

In a celebratory statement, Yolanda Bejarano, the chairwoman of the Arizona Democratic Party, called out each of the Republicans who supported the repeal, saying they “are rightfully scared that Arizonans will vote them out in November."

“MAGA Republicans have spent the last week lying about their stance on abortion because they know that when abortion is on the ballot, Democrats win, every time,” Ms. Bejarano said.

Political analysts said Republicans who voted to go around their leaders risked alienating their own voters in conservative districts, as well as jeopardizing their other priorities as the Legislature starts working to pass Arizona’s annual budget.

Though the State Supreme Court revived the 1864 law on April 9, it would not go back into effect before June 8, according to Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat.

The fight over the ban has consumed Arizona politics since the court decided that it could be enforced even though Arizona passed a law two years ago that allowed abortions through 15 weeks.

The court put its ruling temporarily on hold, meaning that abortions have been allowed to continue under the 15-week rules.

Abortion providers, who face two to five years in prison if convicted under the 1864 law, said they were likely to stop performing all abortions once it takes effect. But there is growing tension and disagreement over when, exactly, that might be.

Ms. Mayes has said that she would not prosecute anyone under the 1864 law. She has also said that her office was exploring other legal challenges that could delay its implementation beyond June 8.

On Tuesday night, Ms. Mayes asked the State Supreme Court to reconsider its decision reviving the 1864 ban on the grounds that abortions were permitted under the 2022 law .

In contrast, the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian group that argued in court to uphold the ban, said it believed county prosecutors could start enforcing the law this week.

Because the legislature is meeting only once a week, lawmakers and abortion providers worry that their window to get a repeal enacted is closing rapidly.

“There is a lot of concern,” said State Senator Eva Burch, a Democrat and nurse practitioner who gave a speech last month describing how she had to get an abortion to terminate a nonviable pregnancy. “It’s a scary time to be a pregnant person in Arizona.”

For anti-abortion activists, the prospect of repeal is another sign that they are losing ground, as opposition to extreme restrictions grows. Arizona is a state where their movement has deep roots, and where they have clung to the hope that allies in the Legislature would withstand pressure to change the 1864 law.

After the House vote on Wednesday, they rallied around a message that they would persevere, even though the prospects for stopping a repeal have dwindled.

Debi Vandenboom, a director at Arizona Women of Action, said she was “deeply saddened but not surprised” by the House’s vote to advance the repeal.

“It is always unfortunate when politicians who claim to be pro-life are willing to betray women and children when it seems politically expedient to do so,” she said. “The battle is far from over. I, and others like me, are in it for the long haul. In Arizona we have the opportunity and responsibility to get this right.”

Greg Scott, vice president of policy at the Center for Arizona Policy, called the day “tragic” for Arizona. “The law that has been on the books for the entire history of the state is one of the most life-protective laws in the country,” he said. “While we mourn today, we aren’t pausing for a moment in our advocacy for unborn children.”

But their options are limited, now that some Republican lawmakers have sided with the Democrats.

For their part, abortion rights supporters are working to capitalize on their growing energy and momentum, and hope to pass a referendum in November to guarantee abortion rights in the State Constitution.

The advance of the repeal bill is “one step towards possible improvement,” said Tricia Sauer, an organizer with Indivisible who was in the House gallery for the vote on Wednesday. “But what we’re really focused on is continuing to collect signatures for the only real option for restoring reproductive freedoms.”

Jack Healy is a Phoenix-based national correspondent who focuses on the fast-changing politics and climate of the Southwest. He has worked in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a graduate of the University of Missouri’s journalism school. More about Jack Healy

Elizabeth Dias is The Times’s national religion correspondent, covering faith, politics and culture. More about Elizabeth Dias

Kellen Browning is a Times reporter covering the 2024 election, with a focus on the swing states of Nevada and Arizona. More about Kellen Browning

Biden signs a bill that could ban TikTok — after the 2024 election

WASHINGTON — Tucked inside the sprawling $95 billion national security package that President Joe Biden’s signed Wednesday is a provision that could ban TikTok, with an important catch: It won’t happen before the 2024 election.

That means TikTok, which boasts 170 million American users, will remain a force throughout the campaign, providing a platform for candidates to reach predominantly younger voters. An earlier version of the bill could have banned the popular video-sharing app prior to the election, but recent changes mean lawmakers and Biden may not face such an immediate voter backlash.

The new legislation provides nine months for TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell it or face a nationwide prohibition in the United States. The president can grant a one-time extension of 90 days, bringing the timeline to sell to one year, if he certifies that there’s a path to divestiture and “significant progress” toward executing it.

Even without the extension, the earliest a ban could start is January 2025. With the extension, it would be April. And with TikTok threatening legal action, the matter could get tied up in the courts for even longer. It’s a shift from an earlier House-passed bill that included a six-month window that could have triggered a TikTok ban before the November election.

A senior Republican aide said Democrats were responsible for the change. “Senate Democrats had been pretty consistent about wanting to extend that timeline,” the aide said.

The election was “definitely” something “conveniently addressed” by the new deadline, said a Democratic source close to the issue.

Other Democrats are assuring voters that ByteDance would sooner sell TikTok than risk a U.S. ban, a view some experts disagree with .

“TikTok ain’t going away. There is no more capitalistic entity than an organization controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. They’re going to sell it,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a member of the Armed Services Committee, who faces re-election this fall. “Young people will go on their TikTok tomorrow and they’ll still have it. And then the day after that, they’ll still have it. And the day after that, they’ll still have it,” Kaine said, adding that the only difference is it would be American-owned. “If you like it, you’re going to keep it.”

In endorsing the revised TikTok bill, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said that extending ByteDance’s divestment period — what she called her “recommendation” — would help ensure there is “enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done.”

Other lawmakers who helped negotiate that change, including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., agreed that the reason they pushed back the deadline was to improve the chances of a sale.

“This gives more time to make the divestment achievable,” said Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the special committee investigating the CCP. “It made a lot of sense. That’s why, as you could tell, we didn’t lose any votes because of the change. In fact, we gained some votes — we went from 352 to 360 votes in the House.”

TikTok gave no indication that it would consider divesting, with a spokesperson saying in a statement: “This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court.”

Trump, who tried his own ban, tells 'the young people' to blame Biden

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, sought to exploit a ban politically.

“Just so everyone knows, especially the young people, Crooked Joe Biden is responsible for banning TikTok,” Trump said on social media. “He is the one pushing it to close … Young people, and lots of others, must remember this on November 5th, ELECTION DAY, when they vote!”

It's a flip-flop for the former president, who signed an executive order in August 2020 to ban TikTok in 45 days if it was not sold. His statement cited “the threat posed” by China with its ability under Chinese law to force the app to grant access to Americans’ data and its potential to manipulate the algorithm to advance Chinese propaganda — the same reasons Congress and Biden favor a ban.

But the executive order was blocked in court, and the app persisted.

“I have every expectation that TikTok will be alive and well, no matter who is president,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “Donald Trump is obviously trying to turn it into an election issue, but considering he was in favor of banning it, I think his warning is more baloney to use a polite word.”

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said opinions about TikTok and social media won’t “rival choice and democracy and immigration as a voting issue” in the 2024 election.

But Murphy said the political implications cut both ways.

“I am part of a group of pissed-off parents that feel that they’ve lost control of their kids’ lives. There’s undoubtedly another group of kids who are worried that they’re going to lose access to social media in the way that they have it now,” Murphy said. “But those are two very distinct voting groups and if you ignore the perils of social media, maybe you pick up some younger voters, but you lose some parents. So this is one of these issues where you have to see the full picture.”

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., who voted against the TikTok ban over the weekend, said in an interview that there is a need to solve the national security and data concerns associated with the platform but added that banning TikTok would be disastrous for creators, organizers and activists.

“I think this is a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, where we have people, communities that are able to organize, that are able to meet, that are able to find space for their businesses to grow" on TikTok, she said. “We need to actually think about what the consequences of that are, not political consequences alone, but the consequences holistically.”

'The battle lines aren't really clear'

A Republican working on Senate races said being tough on TikTok would have been an easier message to drive home in the campaign before Trump himself came out against the ban.

“It used to be a lot more straightforward,” this person said of how they could message against Democrats who use TikTok to campaign — which, despite Biden's intention to sign the ban legislation, includes his campaign . “But Trump is on the other side now. It makes the whole thing a little murkier. The battle lines aren’t really clear.”

Still, the Republican believes that a looming ban could have a big impact on the campaign trail for Democrats who use TikTok, saying candidates are using it exclusively as a tool to reach voters.

“It’s really clear they think it’s an important tool in their toolbox,” this person said.

In front-line battleground Senate states, Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, and Bob Casey, of Pennsylvania, have accounts on the platform. So, too, do Democratic Reps. Ruben Gallego, of Arizona, and Colin Allred, of Texas, both running for Senate seats in competitive races this fall. All four voted in favor of the legislation that included the potential TikTok ban.

Speaking with the Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC’s “PoliticsNation” on Sunday, Casey expressed hope the legislation would spur TikTok’s parent company to sell its American assets to a U.S. owner.

“I don’t think any American wants to put our country further at risk when it comes to China,” he said, adding, “I know a lot of Americans rely upon TikTok, and that’s understandable because of the value that it can provide to a small-business owner or others who need TikTok to communicate."

Brown’s campaign declined to comment. Campaigns for Gallego and Allred did not respond to requests for comment.

Biden's campaign said only that the campaign is on TikTok, without saying whether it would remain on it, and noted that the president doesn't have an official account on the platform.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., asked late Tuesday about a potential backlash to the TikTok crackdown, said: “Speaker Johnson put it in bill — the big supplemental bill. We had to get the supplemental bill passed as quickly as possible.”

Some of Biden's allies disagree with him on a TikTok prohibition.

Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a Biden campaign surrogate, said he opposes a TikTok ban, citing free speech rights.

“The longer timeline helps marginally in pushing the ban until after the election and the bill, in any case, is likely to get struck down by the courts,” he said. “But rushing to pass it shows the complete disconnect between the Beltway establishment and many Americans.”

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., offered some advice for election candidates navigating a voter backlash to a TikTok ban: “I would tell them to follow their heart but take their brain with them.”

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.

Allan Smith is a political reporter for NBC News.

Can you still get an abortion in Arizona this week? It depends on who you ask

An 1864 near-total abortion ban takes effect in Arizona this week, according to lawyers for the anti-abortion doctor who won his state Supreme Court appeal to uphold the law, but providers disagree.

Providers representing five of the nine clinics licensed to do abortion care in Arizona say they plan to follow a directive by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes that abortion care in the state will be legal at least through June 8. Current law allows abortions up until 15 weeks of gestation and makes an exception for medical emergencies.

The 1864 law, which the Arizona Supreme Court upheld April 9, is a near-total ban that prohibits abortions in all circumstances, including rape and incest, with the only exception being to save the life of the pregnant patient. The Arizona Supreme Court stayed enforcement of the 160-year-old abortion ban  for 14 days.

A representative for Scottsdale-based Alliance Defending Freedom maintains the ban takes effect within 14 days of the court's ruling, which is this week. The group represented Dr. Eric Hazelrigg , an anti-abortion doctor at an Arizona crisis pregnancy center, in his successful bid to uphold the law with the Arizona Supreme Court,

“As we read the orders and the relevant law, county prosecutors can begin enforcing the law within 14 days of the Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling,” senior counsel Jake Warner said in a written statement.

The organization did not answer specific questions about whether it would take steps to help bring an abortion case under the provisions of the ban, nor did the group say whether it would pursue further court action to clarify when the law goes into effect.

Mayes and providers, including Planned Parenthood, say abortion services will continue for another 45 days. That's because in October 2022, in a separate lawsuit filed on behalf of a Phoenix doctor and the Arizona Medical Association, the Maricopa County Superior Court entered an  order  that bars the state from enforcing the 1864 ban until 45 days after the Arizona Supreme Court issues its mandate in the case.

The mandate is scheduled to issue on April 24 and 45 days from that date is June 8.

Officials with Planned Parenthood Arizona plan to abide by Mayes' directive, a spokesperson told The Arizona Republic. The organization, which operates four clinics that provide abortion care in Arizona, is still exploring its legal options, the spokesperson said.

What does the Arizona Supreme Court's April 9 ruling mean?

The pre-statehood law mandates two years to five years in prison for anyone aiding in an abortion, except if the procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother. A law from the same era requiring at least a year in prison for a woman seeking an abortion was repealed in 2021.

Prior to the ruling in Arizona, 14 states across the nation banned abortion at any period of pregnancy, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a policy and research organization that supports abortion rights.

Just four of those — Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas — have laws similar to what will go into effect in Arizona, allowing abortions only to save the life of the mother. The other 10 states have additional exceptions to the ban such as in cases of rape or incest, according to Guttmacher.

What does the U.S. Supreme Court have to do with the 1864 law?

The abortion ban first codified in Arizona law in 1864 has been sitting on the books for 160 years.

First appearing in the 1864 Howell Code, a book of laws compiled by Arizona's First Territorial Legislature, the state's abortion ban was similar to those in many states. It was enforced vigorously in Arizona until the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

In 1971, Planned Parenthood of Tucson sued the state to overturn the old ban. The group lost the case in 1973 when the state Court of Appeals ruled against it. But the U.S. Supreme Court issued its historic Roe v. Wade decision the same year, causing the state Court of Appeals to issue an injunction against the pre-statehood ban.

For almost 50 years, legal abortions were considered a fact of American life, until the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling in June 2022 that removed the Roe protections.

The ruling by the new, more conservative U.S. Supreme Court spurred Arizona Republican politicians to ask the courts to lift the injunction from 1973 and allow police and prosecutors to enforce the 1864 law. The new court action had the effect of renewing Planned Parenthood's 1971 legal fight.

What are Arizona providers saying?

Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, a family physician and owner of Camelback Family Planning in Phoenix, said she is following Mayes' directive and plans to offer abortion care at least until June 8.

"I am listening to the attorney general of the state of Arizona," said Goodrick, whose clinic is the largest independent abortion care provider in the state. "She said June 8 is the earliest but hopefully it won't be effective that day because hopefully there will be stays or injunctions. ... There are a lot of things they can do that can delay this. It's just wonderful to know that the governor and attorney general are doing everything they can."

Mayes, a Democrat, on April 9 said that as long as she is attorney general, "no woman or doctor will be prosecuted under this draconian law in this state."

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, also a Democrat, issued an executive order in June 2023 that centralizes authority over abortion-related prosecutions with the Attorney General's Office, "ensuring differences in interpretation or application of the law by different county attorneys do not chill, deter, or restrict access to lawful abortion care."

However, Hobbs' executive order has not been tested in court and Mayes' promise only lasts as long as she's in office and a future Arizona attorney general could still prosecute under the current statute of limitations. Goodrick said she and other providers, still fearing prosecution and the loss of their medical licenses, have no plans to flout the 1864 near-total ban if and when it takes effect.

"If you are on trial for a felony for doing an illegal abortion, you are going to have some problems keeping your medical license," she said.

Reproductive-rights advocates say a near-total abortion ban will increase maternal mortality in Arizona and also put pregnant people at risk of staying in abusive relationships and of becoming economically unstable.

An initiative scheduled to be on the November general election ballot would enshrine the right to an abortion into the Arizona Constitution.

Goodrick said her mindset is to "just make it to" November. Every day, week or month that abortion care isn't offered in Arizona puts pregnant people, particularly people in disenfranchised populations, at risk, she said. While California Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to speed up licensing for Arizona doctors who want to provide abortion care sounds good, Goodrick said it is not a solution.

"The patients that are the most needy are the ones that aren't going to be able to get care," she said. "They have a hard time getting out of state. They have a hard time getting across Phoenix to make their appointments."

Many people who can't go out of state will probably end up ordering abortion pills, often known as a medication abortion, online, Goodrick said.

"I am going to stay here and educate Arizonans on how to get the care that they need," she said.

Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at   [email protected]  or follow her on X, formerly   Twitter:   @stephanieinnes .