Resources for the Practicing Attorney

Preparing for trial is a complicated task, but luckily there are multiple resources which can help a busy attorney with his or her work. 

Many trial resources are produced by and available on Westlaw including:

• AmJur Trials which contains model trials by topic complete with checklists and forms
• AmJur Proof of Facts which has articles on proving contested facts with suggestions for discovery and testimony
• Causes of Action which has articles on causes of action with checklists of elements and proof
• Federal Civil Procedure Before Trial which has procedural steps, outlines, tips, citations and forms
• Pattern Deposition Checklists
• Georgia Civil Discovery with Forms

Lexis also has helpful trial preparation resources including:

• Bender’s Forms of Discovery, with most of its materials compiled into its Lexis' Total Litigator product
• Total Litigator has jury instructions, verdicts, forms, settlement information, discovery by jurisdiction
• Early Case Assessment / Damages Evaluation Tools  

Pattern Jury Instructions

It helps to have sample jury instructions to look at on each area of law rather than having to draft your own.  The library has a copy of Modern Federal Jury Instructions and Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions, Civil and Criminal which you may find helpful.  To help with Georgia specific jury instructions, there is a book called Georgia Requests to Charge, Civil and Criminal Cases as well as Suggested Pattern Jury Instructions which is produced by the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia and is available on Westlaw.

Settlements and Jury Verdicts

Settlements and jury verdicts can be found in the Fulton Daily Report which is available under the MacMillan Law Library's electronic resources (password required), via Lexis’ Total Litigator platform, via Westlaw and on Verdictsearch.com.

There are number of Georgia practice guides and treatises, many of them are in print in the MacMillan Law Library.  A good number of them are produced by West and can be found on Westlaw.  These guides include discussion of venue, pleadings, parties, discovery, and remedies.  Examples of some Georgia practice guides include:

• Davis & Shulman, Georgia Practice and Procedure
• Daniel’s Georgia Criminal Trial Practice
• Georgia Civil Practice
• Georgia Appellate Practice with Forms
• Georgia Post-Judgment Collection
• Georgia Settlements Law and Strategies
• Georgia Criminal Offenses and Defenses
• Trial Handbook for Georgia Lawyers
• Handbook on Georgia Practice with Forms

There are two main Federal practice and rules treatises, both of them covering civil and criminal cases.  The MacMillan Law Library has copies of each and they are also available on online via Lexis or Westlaw.  

• Moore’s Federal Practice is available on Lexis.   It is arranged by Rule Number and has selective coverage of new cases.  
• Wright & Miller’s Federal Practice and Procedure is available on Westlaw and is also arranged by rule number, but contains more exhaustive coverage of new cases.