Skip to main content

Reconstructing Justice

An Agenda for Trial Reform

In Reconstructing Justice, Franklin Strier doesn’t simply describe problems with the American trial system; he proposes reforms. Arguing that lawyers need to share more power with the judge and jury, Strier recommends ways we can retain and improve our basic adversarial system. He suggests we eliminate peremptory challenges, give judges the authority to ask questions of witnesses, and limit the number of expert witnesses. Drawing from a wide variety of sources, including case histories, scholarly works, Blackstone’s Commentaries, and The Federalist Papers, he argues that judicial reform is not only possible, but—because of the increased public coverage of trials and understanding of the need for reform—inevitable.

Franklin Strier brings this critical look at trial reform up to date with a new preface in which he discusses how the inordinate amount of public attention of the O. J. Simpson trial, and the power the attorneys had over the court in that case, shed new light on the trial system’s weaknesses and inequities.

"Anyone with an interest in courtroom trials will be fascinated by Strier’s analysis of the game of law and suggestions for reforming the trail system to provide justice in a greater number of cases. . . . Highly recommended."—Choice

328 pages | 6 x 9 | © 1996

Law and Legal Studies: General Legal Studies

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Ch. 1: The Battle of Champions
Ch. 2: An Adversary Society
Ch. 3: How Much Justice Can You Afford?
Ch. 4: The Verdict on Juries
Ch. 5: Can Lawyers Lie? Truth, Justice, and Advocacy Ethics
Ch. 6: Alternative Dispute Resolution, the Expanded Version
Ch. 7: A Blueprint for Reform
Selected Bibliography
Index

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press