Trial Tip: Climb the Ladder in Cross

I spoke recently with George Fleming — a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a past president of the San Diego ABOTA Chapter and one of the most experienced civil trial lawyers in San Diego — when he was a guest on my Trial Alchemy™ podcast. 

George described what happens when a witness tries to dodge a question by saying "I can't guess" or "I don't know." 

Most lawyers let them get away with it. George doesn't. 

He makes them climb the ladder. Click on the video above to learn about this excellent technique. 

#TrialLawyer #CrossExamination #LitigationTips #TrialTips #CivilTrial #JuryTrials #CourtRoom #TrialAlchemy #LegalStrategy #TrialAdvocacy #CaliforniaLaw

Mediation, Arbitration & Referee Services

Monty A. McIntyre, Esq. helps attorneys and their clients throughout California as a mediator, arbitrator and referee, handling employment, tort (elder abuse, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability and wrongful death), business, commercial, insurance (bad faith, coverage, UIM), probate, and real property cases. Monty has been a California civil trial lawyer since 1980, a member of ABOTA since 1995, has tried over 100 cases (jury trials, judge trials, administrative trials and arbitrations) and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in the areas listed above.

To schedule a new matter, select the date on Monty's website: https://montymcintyre.mykajabi.com. 

 California Case Summaries™
Know the New Law.  

California attorneys need to know the new civil case law in their practice areas. California Case Summaries™ make this easy with one-paragraph case summaries, organized by legal topic, of every new civil case published by California courts. Several publications are available, with two subscription options: the Individual Attorney subscription (only that attorney can read the case summaries), and the Law Firm Unlimited subscription (the firm can send case summaries to every firm lawyer).

There are two ways to get California Case Summaries™:

1. Mediate with Monty McIntyre to Get a Free 1-Year Subscription to California Case Summaries™:

Conduct one half-day or full-day private mediation with Monty McIntyre and get a free 1-year Individual Attorney subscription to California Case Summaries™ (with monthly, quarterly and annual case summaries, a $1,999 annual value). 

When one or more attorneys in a law firm conduct two half-day or two full-day private mediations in one calendar year with Monty McIntyre, the law firm will get a free 1-year Law Firm Unlimited subscription (letting the firm send summaries to every attorney or paralegal) to California Case Summaries™ (with monthly, quarterly and annual case summaries, a $6,500 annual value).

 To schedule a mediation, select the date on Monty's website: https://montymcintyre.mykajabi.com. 

2. Buy One of the Publications:

Individual Attorney subscriptions (only the subscribing attorney can read the summaries):

• California Case Summaries™ (monthly, quarterly and annual issues). Subscribe.
• CCS Monthly™ (monthly issues only). Subscribe.
• CCS Quarterly™ (quarterly issues only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual Employment™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual Tort & Insurance™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual Real Property™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.

Law Firm Unlimited subscriptions (the law firm can send summaries to every firm lawyer):  

• California Case Summaries™ (monthly, quarterly and annual issues). Subscribe.
• CCS Monthly™ (monthly issues only). Subscribe.
• CCS Quarterly™ (quarterly issues only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual Employment™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual Tort & Insurance™ (annual issue only). Subscribe.
• CCS Annual Real Property™ (annual issue only). Subscribe. 

Get Free Case Summaries: 

-Free California Supreme Court civil case summaries from 2025, click here.
-One Free Employment case summary every month, click here.
-One Free Tort or Insurance case summary every month, click here.

Do well and be well.  

Best regards,
Monty A. McIntyre, Esq.
Ending the Trauma of Litigation &
Helping Attorneys Get Excellent Results
-Settling or Deciding Cases or Issues: Mediator, Arbitrator & Referee
Employment, Torts, Business, Real Property, Insurance and Probate Cases
-Working Up Cases: California Case Summaries™: Know The Law
-Trying Cases: Trial mentoring by Monty McIntyre, (619) 990-4312. Trial Alchemy™ - Learn from Civil Jury Trial Experts
ABOTA Member Since 1995
Past President San Diego County Bar Assn. (2002), Past President SD ABOTA Chapter (2014)
Phone: (619) 990-4312 | Email: monty@montymcintyre.com