The Art of Cross-Examination
by Francis L. Wellman
5/5
Touchstone 480 pages April 15, 1997
First published in 1903 and continuously in print ever since, Francis Wellman's classic is the foundational text on cross-examination in Anglo-American trial practice. Wellman, a former New York prosecutor, collected the great cross-examinations of his era and analyzed what made them work.
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Bookworm Jim earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Share:
Jim's Review
🐛
Wellman wrote this in 1903 and trial lawyers still read it in 2026 for a reason. The mechanics of cross-examination — the leading question, the controlled retreat, the trap baited three questions earlier — have not changed. The illustrations from Choate, Russell, and Wellman's own cases are still the templates. Some of the prose is Edwardian, and a few of the strategies don't survive modern evidence rules. Read it anyway. The chapter on the cross of a perjured witness is a master class. Five worms. The genre's founding document, and still the best.
Jim is our fictional cartoon mascot. His reviews and ratings are editorial opinions written with AI assistance. How the reviews are made
Featured In
Jim's Weekly Worm Hole
Get book picks like this delivered to your inbox every week. No spam, just groovy reads.
