Warning

Info

Warning

Info

Warning

Info

LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

closing argument

Read a random definition: unwritten law

A quick definition of closing argument:

Closing argument is the last chance for a lawyer to convince the judge or jury that they should win the case. It happens after all the evidence has been presented and both sides have rested their cases. The lawyer explains how the evidence supports their theory of the case and clarifies any issues that the jury must resolve to make a decision. The lawyer cannot ask the jury to consider anything other than what was presented in court. Both sides present a closing argument, and in a criminal case, the prosecutor and defense counsel make the argument, while in a civil case, the plaintiff's lawyer and defendant's lawyer make the argument.

A more thorough explanation:

Closing argument is the final chance for a lawyer to convince the judge or jury that their side should win the case. It happens after all the evidence has been presented and both sides have rested their cases. The lawyer uses this time to explain how the evidence supports their theory of the case and to clarify any issues that the jury must resolve to make a decision.

Closing arguments are powerful because they are the last thing the jury hears before making a decision. The lawyer can use creative strategies and techniques to convince the jury, but they must rely only on the evidence presented in court. They cannot ask the jury to consider anything else, like personal biases or prejudices.

Both sides in a trial present a closing argument. In a criminal case, the prosecutor and defense counsel each make a closing argument. In a civil case, the plaintiff's lawyer and the defendant's lawyer each make a closing argument.

In a criminal trial, the prosecutor might use their closing argument to remind the jury of the evidence presented that shows the defendant committed the crime. They might also explain why the defense's arguments don't make sense based on the evidence. The defense lawyer might use their closing argument to point out weaknesses in the prosecution's case and to argue that the evidence doesn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that their client committed the crime.

In a civil trial, the plaintiff's lawyer might use their closing argument to explain why the defendant is responsible for the harm the plaintiff suffered and to ask for a specific amount of money in damages. The defendant's lawyer might use their closing argument to argue that their client is not responsible for the harm or that the harm was not as severe as the plaintiff claims.

These examples illustrate how closing arguments are used to summarize the evidence and arguments presented in a trial and to persuade the judge or jury to make a decision in favor of one side or the other.

closing | closing costs

Warning

Info

General

General chat about the legal profession.
main_chatroom
👍 Chat vibe: 0 👎
Help us make LSD better!
Tell us what's important to you
texaslawhopefully
22:30
@KnowledgeableRitzyWasp: That all sounds great. It sounds like it has fairly diverse cuisine for a smaller city
yeah there are so many good cuisines in ithaca
renard99
22:31
@lilypadfrog: that’s a pity I’da be liking them all
texaslawhopefully
22:31
Only food I’m going to miss for sure if I leave Texas is texmex
22:31
waspy hasnt had thai food in ithaca yet. ithaca thai is so good
^^^^ truuuuuu
22:32
there are two major thai places and they have very similar names bc a divorced husband and wife own them lol
22:32
personally i think taste of thai is better than taste of thai express but thats just me
i had pho tho and it was really good and huge portions
texaslawhopefully
22:32
Glad they have good Thai food, I love Thai food! Can’t wait to visit :)
22:33
when tex goes to ithaca i want to come
Dkk
22:34
Crying Tiger, best Thai dish.
damn im so hungry all i had today was a curry tonkatsu and buldak
and it was a lil baby noodle cup
vvv hungry
22:36
curry tonkatsu so yummeh
22:36
whats even open rn? pizza?
CTB is it i think
22:37
is collegetown pizza not open
22:37
i used to get a slice from there or wings over at like 1am after my shift at the restaurant
Dkk
22:48
Ross Ulbricht free. God Bless Trump. Huge win.
JeremyFragrance
22:54
agreed
texaslawhopefully
22:55
This is an interesting read: https://thedispatch.com/article/birthright-citizenship-trump-implications/
Dkk
23:01
I mean, idk how it's possible to end birth right citizenship without amending the constitution because to me the 14th amendment is pretty clear about it.
ross ulbricht tried to hire a hitman to kill 5 people
i am not that sympathetic to him
Dkk
23:04
@KnowledgeableRitzyWasp: That might have been an FBI agent. It was most likely him and he was most likely doing it to retrieve stolen funds that corrupt FBI agents stole, but yeah moral gray area but me personally, cool with hitmen. It's not like it is uncommon to hire hitmen. I don't think the action itself is necessarily wrong but the intent behind it can be.
Dkk
23:05
Like, Boeing whistblowers being killed by hitmen = wrong but a guy hiring hitmen to retrieve stolen funds = good to me.
texaslawhopefully
23:05
@Dkk: Yeah, for sure. My guess is it'll go to SCOTUS and it'll be 8-1 or 7-2, saying that EO was unconstitutional.
Dkk
23:06
Indeed. I need a count for how many exectuive orders he has signed and how many already have pending lawsuits.
LSD+ is ad-free, with DMs, discounts, case briefs & more.