QUESTIONING THE DECLARATION OF A JURY’S INDEPENDENCE

I love teaching Barristers’ Orientation. The only reason I can think that other faculty don’t volunteer for this job is that they just want to squeeze the last possible drops out of their summer before they have to appear at the office for the start of the school year.  I love teaching it because I

THE LIBERATING PROPERTIES OF WEAKER EVIDENCE

It was one of the most surreal accident photographs I have ever seen, defying easy explanation.  The lower half of a leg.  Sturdy.  The foot, bare.  The toenails painted recently, but not so recently to be free of wear and blemish.  The skin was clean with just a hint of mottling nearest to the site

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT – PART 2

In a time before the open and watchful eye of technology, in an unknown part of the Midwest, in a town of a few hundred people, in the stillness of a cool and windless night, in four different rooms of a well-known farmhouse.  In four blasts of a borrowed shotgun.  In the Clutter family’s house. 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

In a time before the open and watchful eye of technology, in an unknown part of the Midwest, in a town of a few hundred people, in the stillness of a cool and windless night, in four different rooms of a well-known farmhouse.  In four blasts of a borrowed shotgun.  In the Clutter family’s house. 

THE VIROLOGY OF AUTHENTIC ANGER

Before I sat down to write, I tried to remember the angriest person I ever saw.  Before you keep reading, think about it with me for a second.  I kept recalling viral videos of people in public places screaming at other people for no discernably good reason.  If you’ve ever seen one of these viral

BRAIN LESSONS: THE WORDS IN A SENTENCE OF GUILT

If you say the word “analogy” to a lawyer, I would guess we all instantly think of case analogies—our minds, as we were trained, diving right back into the last trench from which we lobbed analogical grenades at some judge and her clerks.  I suspect, however, that we might react differently to hearing the word

BRAIN LESSONS – LOVE, CHOCOLATE AND STORYTELLING

Today is Valentine’s Day.  My mind turns easily to a conversation I had while standing in the aisle of a church on the east side of Cleveland.  This friendly woman chatting with me was probably in her mid-50’s and had a charming mop of blonde curls.  I was 26 with a not-so-charming amount of student

BRAIN LESSONS: THE PERSUASIVE POWER OF “UP”

Everyone nowadays seems to think they are a photographer and I’m no different.  I own too much gear.  I have a website.  I watch innumerable YouTube videos about Photoshop.  The great Dorthea Lange once said, “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.”  It’s absolutely true.  I see all