What are the 10 commandments of cross-examination?

Asked by: Dr. Kade Littel  |  Last update: April 23, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (69 votes)

Irving Younger's 10 Commandments of Cross-Examination are classic guidelines for lawyers, emphasizing control, brevity, and focus: Be brief, use short, plain questions, ask only leading questions, don't ask what you don't know the answer to, listen to answers, don't quarrel with the witness, avoid repetition, don't allow explanations, stop after the point (avoid one question too many), and save the main point for closing arguments. These rules aim to control the witness and deliver a clear, persuasive narrative to the jury through controlled facts rather than open-ended stories.

What are the rules of cross-examination?

Cross-examination should involve questions that have nothing to do with the direct examination. The examination should not follow the script of the direct examination. Never permit the witness to explain anything on cross-examination. That is for your adversary to do.

What are the 10 commandments of Questioned Document Expert?

Are The “10 Commandments of Cross-Examination” Sufficient?

  • Be brief.
  • Use plain words.
  • Ask only leading questions.
  • Be prepared.
  • Listen.
  • Don't get into a quarrel.
  • Avoid repetition.
  • Disallow witness explanations.

What are the 10 commandments in order?

The Ten Commandments

  • I am the Lord thy God. ...
  • Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
  • Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.
  • Honor thy father and mother.
  • Thou shall not kill.
  • Thou shall not commit adultery.
  • Thou shall not steal.
  • Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

What are the three C's of cross-examination?

One of the keys to a successful cross-examination is knowing how to effectively use that prior inconsistent statement. For that purpose, I learned from great lawyers and great teachers to use the “Three C's”: commit, credit and confront.

Irving Younger's 10 Commandments Of Cross Examination at UC Hastings College Of The Law

40 related questions found

What is the first rule of cross-examination?

When cross-examining the other side's witness, you can only ask about the subjects that the plaintiff's attorney asked the witness about in direct examination. The legal term for this is the scope of direct examination.

What is most crucial during cross-examination?

Each question you ask should focus on one fact. When it does, it will necessarily be succinct. Succinct questions are difficult for witnesses to dodge while also staying credible in the eyes of jurors. Finally, you should be cross-examining witnesses about facts, not opinions.

Why did the Catholic Church change the 10 commandments?

Some Protestants like to charge the Catholic Church with changing the Ten Commandments in order to keep the idolatrous practice of having statues in its places of worship. They argue that Catholics omitted the second commandment in Exodus 20, which forbids the making of graven images.

What is the full 10th commandment?

You shall not covet ... anything that is your neighbor's.... You shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant,, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's.

How to remember the 10 commandments in order?

To remember the Ten Commandments in order, use mnemonic devices like hand motions or acronyms, group them by theme (God vs. people), or create a story, focusing on keywords like "No other gods, Idol, Vain, Sabbath, Honor parents, No murder, No adultery, No steal, No lie, No covet" (NIV 10 Commandments mnemonic). Linking each commandment to a visual or action (like "no other gods" with one finger wagging) makes them stick better. 

What is the golden rule of the Ten Commandments?

The common English phrasing is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Various applications of the Golden Rule are stated positively numerous times in the Old Testament: "You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD."

What is a non-expert witness called?

A lay witness is not prohibited from testifying to an issue of ultimate fact, provided the opinion is helpful and the questions eliciting the testimony are phrased to ask for a factual opinion, rather than a legal conclusion.

What are the three major principles in a questioned document?

Forensic examination and comparison of handwriting, which includes hand printing and signatures, is based on three main principles: (1) Given a sufficient amount of handwriting, no two skilled writers exhibit identical handwriting features; (2) every person has a range of natural variation to his or her writing; (3) no ...

What not to do during cross-examination?

Other 'don'ts' are not to insist on yes or no answers; not to create the opportunity for ruinous redirect examination; not to argue; not to object to the judge's questions; not to say, 'Remember you are under oath;' and not to be baited by the opposing attorney.

What is the order of cross-examination?

Witnesses shall be first examined-in-chief, then (if the adverse party so desires) cross-examined, then (if the party calling him so desires) re-examined.

Can you refuse to answer in cross-examination?

The witness may refuse to answer the question put on cross and answer a different question. The witness may answer generally the question on cross, but include many other answers to questions not asked.

What are the 10 commands?

  • You shall have no other gods before Me.
  • You shall not make idols.
  • You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
  • Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
  • Honor your father and your mother.
  • You shall not murder.
  • You shall not commit adultery.
  • You shall not steal.

Can Christians say OMG?

Other times it is merely an innocent surprise reaction which, while morally problematic to thoughtlessly use the name of God, does not arise to a level of serious sin. Use of “oh my gosh” or “goodness” does not reference God and therefore would not be considered to be sinful.

Why do we no longer need the Ten Commandments?

The idea that we no longer need the Ten Commandments stems from Christian theology, which teaches that Jesus fulfilled the Law, replacing the Old Covenant with a New Covenant of grace, meaning believers are freed from legalistic adherence but are instead guided by love and the Holy Spirit, with the Commandments' core moral principles often seen as still valuable wisdom reiterated in the New Testament. 

What do Catholics believe instead of the rapture?

With respect to the rapture, Catholics certainly believe that the event of our gathering together to be with Christ will take place, though they do not generally use the word “rapture” to refer to this event (somewhat ironically, since the term “rapture” is derived from the text of the Latin Vulgate of 1 Thess.

Which religion does not follow the Ten Commandments?

While Muslims do not follow the Ten Commandments in the same way as Jews and Christians, there are overlapping principles that align with Islamic beliefs. Belief in One God: The first commandment emphasizes the exclusive worship of one God (monotheism).

What is the difference between a Catholic Bible and a normal Bible?

The main difference between a Catholic Bible and a Protestant Bible is the Old Testament canon: Catholic Bibles contain seven additional books (Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch) and extra passages in Esther and Daniel, known as the Deuterocanonical books, which Protestants exclude, following the shorter Hebrew Bible canon used by early Jewish authorities. Both share the same 27-book New Testament, but Catholics consider these extra Old Testament books divinely inspired, while Protestants view them as historically useful but not canonical scripture, often placing them in an appendix. 

What are common cross-examination mistakes?

5. Avoid “Yes, But…” or “No, But…” This is a classic pitfall during cross-examination. The prosecutor might ask you a question that seems to have a simple “yes” or “no” answer, but you may want to qualify your response with a “but” to explain your side.

What are the limits of cross-examination?

The tradition in the federal courts and in numerous state courts has been to limit the scope of cross-examination to matters testified to on direct, plus matters bearing upon the credibility of the witness.

How to win a cross-examination?

Command the pace. Speed kills clarity and a cross-exam is not a race. A deliberate tempo allows jurors to absorb key facts and gives you space to emphasize critical points. Use short, leading questions to maintain control and prevent the witness from wandering.