You should use http://www.Divorcecal.comsince Robin Yeaman's is the expert trial attorney in the Bay Area in California. Robin has video tapes and DVD's which will help you. The Trial in a Box is for use in organizing your trial. Attorney's and Pro Se litigants (your representing yourself) can use this method to organize for a trial. If your not ready, don't do your own trial. I. INTRODUCTION Who needs Representing yourself Attorneys will learn new ways to organize?themselves. Applies to big and small trials--vary the size of the box---from accordion folder to a box to a dolly carrying boxes to dollies with boxes Reduce task from:? Do trial to---Go thru files in box. II. TRIAL PREP & SHIFTING TO TRIAL ORGANIZATION. ???? Video begins after you have your evidence. ???? A. How records are kept during case. 1. In a messy bag, unstapled ?????????? 2. Better: File with--in chronological order ????????????????Court papers ????????????????Letters ????????????????Evidence---tag documents as they come in ????????????????Other/notes (some on disk) ??????????????? Color coding---Sample files. B. No matter how kept---must SWITCH TOTRIAL ORG-BASED ON WITNESS.?? Other side's wit's too. ?????????? Typed questions.? Underline evidence. ??????????? Law.? ??????????? Keeps you calm.? Panic = read. III. WE DO A SAMPLE CASE A. WITNESS LIST ????????? Begin here because may have to do before trial. ????????? If you have an OSC/motion hearing-- Rule says ????????????? file request for witnesses, or have none. ?????????????? Don't disclose could = lose all witnesses. ?????????? How to estimate time for each witness. ?????????? Formal list v. your private list. ?????????? Paid experts---the skeleton, get in & out fast. ???????????????? Fill in with friends, relatives.? Must be fluid. ????? B. TRIAL ASSISTANT PRELIM'S FILE---ask to have assistant. C. EXHIBIT LIST. Court may require you to file & serve in advance. ? Must know deadlines. ? Samples:? Handwritten, computerized. ??????????? How to keep during trial. ??????????? How to mark evidence--before or during trial, intro. ??????????? Don't let witness walk off with the evidence. ??????????? At end of your case use witness list as checklist to ?????????????????? move all into evidence. D. PRELIMINARIES ??????????Exclude witnesses ?????????? Whether children will be heard by judge ?????????? Motions in limine (last minute motions) ??????????????? Whether a particular motion may testify. ??????????????? You may have anticipated them. ??????????????? Ask for continuance if necessary. ??????????????? Insist on time to read every word; don't worry about looking stupid. E. INDIVIDUAL WITNESSES ?????????? Gist of trial-in-a-box method.? Original + 2cc of everything. ?????????? You get documents from a copy service.? ????????????Judge doesn't want huge package.? Pull out pages. But have package ready. You get doc's in a big production package.? Pull out, say, income tax return. ??????????? Have EVERYTHING about witness, law. ?????? F. TRIAL NOTES? -- How to keep. Line at left.? Notes on right.? Questions on left. G. ARGUMENT ?????????? Put in notes as you go. ?????????? Don't argue just to be arguing. ?????????? Argue things that aren't obvious. ?