Friday, February 16, 2018

ABA Releases New Guidebook for Courtroom Visuals


A native of Puerto Rico, Juan Carlos Benitez holds a juris doctor from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico School of Law and now serves as the president of the Washington Pacific Economic Development Group (WPEDG) in Hagatna, Guam. Alongside his work with WPEDG, Juan Carlos Benitez maintains membership in the American Bar Association (ABA).

In late January 2018, the ABA debuted the book Demonstratives: Definitive Treatise on Visual Persuasion, which provides guidance to lawyers and other legal professionals who want to improve their skills in using visual aids in a courtroom environment. The book looks at situations that benefit from the inclusion of visual aids such as charts, graphs, and maps, and also documents instances of when visual aids only serve to add unnecessary complexity to the ideas presented.

Topics covered in the book include defining what demonstratives actually are, how to design them, and how to use them most effectively during depositions and trials. The book also contains an “Inspiration Index” of 300-plus examples of visual concepts to help trial attorneys get a solid understanding of what has been proven to work.