Make Your Case: Finding Your Win in Civil Court

by Tanya Acker

Overview

"Tanya Acker lays out a common sense approach to deciding when to go—or not to go—to court. Make Your Case is
straightforward and an invaluable resource from someone with the legal insight to tell it like it is."

Tanya Acker, co-star of the nationally syndicated and Emmy-nominated show Hot Bench, demystifies civil litigation—from
common lawsuits to new cases emanating from Covid-19 and looting (tenant vs. landlord rent disputes, small business damage,
and more)—and lays out an expert's guide to legal proceedings inside the courtroom and out, giving readers professional
insider information they need to find THEIR WIN in a lawsuit.

Millions of people end up in civil court each year. They assume going to court is the next logical step in their fight, but they
often have little idea about how the court system works or what they can reasonably expect of it. They make poorly informed
judgments about whether court is the best option for solving a problem, what kind of solutions it can provide, and why it
proceeds in the (sometimes) counterintuitive way it does.

They think “winning” is only about the judgment or verdict rendered by judge or jury. Those “wins” are great—but if you don’t
know what the process can exact from you or why it works as it does, that blind procession to victory can end up costing you
your real win.

In Make Your Case, Tanya Acker cuts straight to the essentials, providing curated, targeted information based on her extensive
experience regarding exactly what people want to know: what happens during court proceedings and why, and how to best
prepare for it—or how to avoid court entirely and find a better way.

Be smart. Be ready. Make your case.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635767018
Publisher:	Diversion Publishing
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Tanya Acker received her B.A. at Howard University and graduated from Yale Law School in 1995. Straddling legal work in government and private practice, Acker has worked at the Office of the White House Counsel, the Civil Rights Division in the US Department of Justice, and also for some of the nation’s top tier private law firms. She served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Dorothy Wright Nelson on the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals and has also maintained a commitment to pro bono work, receiving the ACLU’s First Amendment Award for championing the homeless. You can catch her every day on the Emmy-nominated CBS show Hot Bench. She lives with her husband and her dog, Max, in Los Angeles, California.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction: Our Eternal, Timeless Brawls ix

Part I When the Fight Heats Up

1 So, You Want to Bring a Lawsuit 3

2 When You Are Sued 35

3 It's Almost Always Going to Take More Time Than You'd Like 69

Part II The Players

4 You and Your Lawyer 83

5 The Deciders: Judge and Jury 107

Part III The Laws and Lawlessness of Uncovering the "Truth"

6 Collecting Evidence 123

7 Proving Your Case 145

8 Confronting Bad Behavior 167

Part IV The End May Be Just the Beginning

9 After the Judgment 191

10 When Your Opponent Ignores Your Win 223

Part V Finding an Escape Hatch

11 Solving Your Problem and Avoiding Court 235

A Final Word 253

Glossary 255

Acknowledgments 263

Notes 266

Index 277

About the Author 284

Editorial Reviews

Civil court can be your first line of defense or your last avenue to justice in our legal system. That’s why it’s important that you know the process, the players, and the politics. Tanya Acker’s Make Your Case offers the kind of knowledge and insight you won’t find outside of law school. A must-read for everyone because you never know when you’ll need it.”
—The Honorable Anthony Daniels, Alabama House Minority Leader

“Whether you want to get the guy next door to stop dumping his garbage on your lawn or vindicate your constitutional rights against the President of the United States, with Make Your Case, Tanya Acker has you covered.”
—Rebecca Buchwalter-Poza, Award-Winning Attorney, Political Strategist, and Journalist (who sued the President of the United States and won)

“Do not go to court without first reading this book! Smart, funny, readable, and filled with information and advice that only someone who has seen court from many different angles can offer, Make Your Case prepares you for what to expect at every stage of the litigation process. After reading it, you’ll know the questions you should be asking your legal representative—and yourself. I’ve spent most of my career teaching law, and I learned something from practically every page.”
—Omar Dajani, Professor of Law, McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific

“An extraordinary clinic for non-lawyers and lawyers alike on what realistically to expect when you’re compelled to enter the uncertain, often scary, and frequently expensive arena of litigation. Tanya Acker’s Make Your Case is an invaluable compass to help you get your bearings as you attempt a journey toward your ‘win.’”
—Chad Hummel, Co-Leader of the national trial practice at Sidley Austin LLP, Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers

From the Publisher