Trial Advocacy for Non-Litigators
Course Materials for Students

Fall 2025 – Main Classroom 261

Professor: Karen Lukin
Email: kblukin@comcast.net
Phone: 832.331.6675

Admin Support (Blakely office): Nicole Dellario
Email: nhdellar@central.uh.edu

• Fall 2025 Trial Ad Syllabus
• How to Record Using Swivl
• Swivl Tutorial Video
• Bench Trial Rules
• Final Trials
  • Final Trial Rules
  • Final Trial How Tos
• Trial Structure
• Problem 1 – Nita Liquor Commission v. Cut- Rate Liquor
• Problem 1 - Diagram
• Problem 1 – Exhibit List
• Problem 1 – Exhibits
  • Exhibit 3 – Dan Jones Employment Contract
  • Exhibit 4 – Dan Jones Personnel File
  • Exhibit 5 – Cut-Rate Liquor window
  • Exhibit 6 – Picture of Thunderbird Bottle
  • Exhibit 7 – Diagram of Intersection (redacted)
  • Exhibit 8 – Photo of Walter Watkins
  • Exhibit 9 – Incident Report

Trial Skills

• Case Analysis
  • Case Analysis Worksheet Form
• Direct and Cross Examination
  • Direct and Cross PowerPoint
  • TRE 611 - Direct and Cross Examination
• Objections
  • Generally Accepted Trial Objections
  • Objections PowerPoint
• Exhibits
  • Exhibit Walk
  • Foundations Chart
• Impeachment / Memory Refreshed
  • Impeachment Chart
  • Refreshing Memory (with Applicable TRE)
  • Refreshing Memory and Impeachment PowerPoint
  • TRE 106 and 107 – Optional Completeness
  • Types of Impeachment (with Applicable TRE)
• Experts
  • Experts PowerPoint
  • TRE 701 et seq – Lay and Expert Opinion Testimony
• Voir Dire
  • Limits on Voir Dire
  • Jury Challenge Rules
  • Jury Qualifications and Disqualifications
  • Official Jury Summons
  • TRCP 226a – Court’s Instructions Pre-Voir Dire
  • Shortcut to Conducting Voir Dire
  • Voir Dire Case Law       
  • Voir Dire PowerPoint
• Evidentiary Rules / Procedural Rules
  • TRCP 216 et seq - The Jury in Court
  • TRCP 266 and 267 - Order of Trial and Burden of Proof
  • TRCP 267 - Invoking the Rule
  • TRE 106 and 107 – Optional Completeness
  • TRE 269 - Closing Argument
  • TRE 401 et seq – Relevancy
  • TRE 504 - Spousal Privilege
  • TRE 602 – Personal Knowledge Requirement
  • TRE 603 – Oath or Affirmation Requirement
  • TRE 607 – Impeachment of Witness
  • TRE 608 – Character for Truthfulness or Untruthfulness
  • TRE 611 - Direct and Cross Examination
  • TRE 614 – Invoking the Rule
  • TRE 701 et seq – Lay and Expert Opinion Testimony
  • TRE 801 et seq – Hearsay
  • TRE 901 et seq  - Authentication of Evidence
  • Admissibility of Evidence PowerPoint
  • Hearsay PowerPoint
• Theme and Theory
  • Theory & Theme PowerPoint
  • Theory of the Case PowerPoint
• Opening Statements
  • “Inspiring With Your Trial Story” by Jim Perdue
  • Opening Statement PowerPoint
• Closing Arguments
  • Closing Argument PowerPoint
• Pretrial Matters
  • Pretrial Conference PowerPoint
  • TRCP11 – Agreements in Writing

Flinders Aluminum vs. Mismo Insurance

• Case Analysis Forms
  • Case Analysis Worksheet – Flinders
  • Case Analysis Worksheet – Mismo
• Deposition of David Pinkus
  • Deposition Excerpts of David Pinkus
• Examples of Motions / Designations
  • Deposition Designation Example – Matthew Korn
  • Flinders Deposition Designations Form
  • Flinders Exhibit List Form
  • Flinders Motion in Limine Form
  • Flinders Order on Motion in Limine Form
  • Flinders Witness List Form
  • Mismo Exhibit List Form
  • Mismo Motion in Limine Form
  • Mismo Motion to Realign Parties
  • Mismo Order on Motion in Limine
  • Mismo Order on Motion to Realign Parties
  • Mismo Witness List Form
  • Mismo Deposition Designations Form
• Jury Charge
• Revised Case Facts
  • Age of Flinders Plant
  • Correction of Exhibit 30 - auto to airplane
  • Existence of Personal Guarantee of Loan
  • Fair Market Value of the Flinders Plant
• Revised Exhibits
  • Exhibit 1 – Insurance Policy
• Special Impeachment Problems
  • Impeachment Problem 1 – Marie Williams
  • Impeachment Problem 2 – Marie Williams
  • Impeachment Problem 3 – Marie Williams
  • Impeachment Problem 4 – John Anderson
  • Impeachment Problem 5 – John Anderson
  • Impeachment Problem 6 - Arthur Jackson
  • Impeachment Problem 7 – Arthur Jackson
  • Impeachment Problem 8 – Arthur Jackson
  • Impeachment Problem 9 – Sonia Peterson