American Board of Trial Advocates

Please see below for a number of resources helpful to civil litigators, including PINNACLE course materials and sample forms, news articles, and links to relevant websites.

General Resources

Joe Forward, The Disappearing Jury Trial, Inside Track (State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.), Mar. 19, 2014

Trial Preparation Checklist (PDF) (excerpted from Wisconsin Trial Practice (State Bar of Wisconsin 3rd ed. 2013-14))

OnDemand You Can Do It! Civil Trial Essentials for Young Lawyers​ (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 2015)

Motions in Limine

Course materials from Motions in Limine and Challenging Evidence Before Trial (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 2014):

• Overview of Motions in Limine (PDF)
• Understanding Motions in Limine (PDF)
• Sample Motions in Limine (PDF)
• Sample Brief in Support of Motions in Limine (PDF)

Fillable sample motions in limine from the Civil Litigation Forms Library:

• Notice and Motion in Limine (Word)
• Notice and Motion in Limine (WordPerfect)

OnDemand Motions in Limine and Challenging Evidence Before Trial (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 2014)

Voir Dire

Course materials from Voir Dire: An Intimate Dance, part of the Wisconsin Jury Symposium (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 2013):

• Voir Dire Outline (PDF)
• Sample Jury Questionnaire (PDF)

Voir dire checklists excerpted from Wisconsin Trial Practice (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 3rd ed. 2013-14):

• Preparing for the Voir Dire Examination (PDF)
• Questions to Ask at Pre-Voir Dire Conference (PDF)
• Voir Dire Questioning by Counsel (PDF)

Fillable sample notice and motion for individual voir dire from the Civil Litigation Forms Library:

• Sample Notice and Motion for Individual Voir Dire (Word)
• Sample Notice and Motion for Individual Voir Dire (WordPerfect)

Opening Statements

Effective Opening Statements Checklist (PDF) (excerpted from Wisconsin Trial Practice (State Bar of Wisconsin 3rd ed. 2013-14))

Examination of Lay Witnesses

Examination checklists excerpted from Wisconsin Trial Practice (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 3rd ed. 2013-14)):

• Determining Whether to Call a Witness (PDF)
• Basics of Lay Witness Preparation (PDF)
• Instructions for Testifying (PDF)
• Deciding Whether to Cross-Examine Lay Witnesses (PDF)

Examination of Expert Witnesses

Course materials from Direct Exam of Expert Witnesses: Making the Complex Simple, part of the Wisconsin Jury Symposium (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 2013):

• Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses Outline (PDF)
• Example Diagrams by Expert Witness (PDF)

Closing Arguments

Closing Argument Objections Checklist (PDF) (excerpted from Wisconsin Trial Practice (State Bar of Wisconsin 3rd ed. 2013-14))

Jury Instructions

Continuing Legal Education for Wisconsin, Wisconsin Jury Instructions (2013) (available in print or on CD)

Fillable sample proposed jury instructions from the Civil Litigation Forms Library:

• Sample Proposed Jury Instructions (Word)
• Sample Proposed Jury Instructions (WordPerfect)