Latest Blog Posts
The Most Famous Trial in History
- Sep 12, 2025
- Famous Trials & Legal History, Storytelling & Strategy
Watch The Most Famous Trial of all History on YouTube – (4 min) Let’s talk about the most famous trial of all time. It wasn’t televised. It didn’t have a star defense attorney. It didn’t even follow its own rules. It was the trial of Jesus Christ—and if you’ve ever wondered what […]
False Accusations- The Lies That Can Destroy Lives
- Sep 08, 2025
- False Domestic Violence, Legal Defense & Trial Strategy
There’s a lot at stake in an abuse or assault conviction. The consequences are asymmetric. If a prosecutor brings a bad case and loses, they might feel the sting of defeat, maybe take a reputational hit. But if the defense loses a false accusation case, the result can be catastrophic. Our client could go to […]
Is A Trial A Planned Set Piece, or Improvisational Jazz?
- Sep 02, 2025
- Legal Defense & Trial Strategy
The courtroom drama we see on TV really gets it all wrong. TV shows give you lawyers delivering fiery monologues—pacing, pointing, pounding the table. But in real life, closing arguments don’t look like theater. And they aren’t jazz solos, either. A great closing is something rarer: a one-way conversation with twelve people who can’t speak […]
The Art of Trial Storytelling
- Sep 02, 2025
- Storytelling & Strategy
Facts can’t totally speak for themselves. Storytelling is needed to help things make sense in the minds of a jury. Every trial has two stories running in parallel: the one happening in court, and the one playing out in the minds of the jurors. In this blog, you’ll learn: • How skilled defense attorneys give […]
Performative Outrage: Emotion Presented as Evidence
- Aug 28, 2025
- Legal Theory and Philosophy
We live in a culture that will cancel you for having the wrong opinion. Volume is confused for truth. Emotion is mistaken for evidence. And nowhere is that more dangerous than in a courtroom. In this blog you’ll learn: Why emotional reactions in court can distort how jurors interpret evidence How defense attorneys counter […]
Advice for Beginner Lawyers
- Aug 25, 2025
- Legal Defense & Trial Strategy
Watch Advice for Beginner Lawyers on YouTube (1 min) You’ve made it through law school. You’ve passed the bar. Now what? If you’re just starting out in law, you’ve probably heard plenty about case law, legal strategy, and courtroom decorum. But here’s something that often gets overlooked: Your career won’t be built on knowledge […]
Voir Dire: To Speak the Truth
- Aug 21, 2025
- Legal Defense & Trial Strategy, Storytelling & Strategy
A trial starts long before opening statements—while jurors are still strangers, sitting in a box, not yet sworn in. And Voir dire is more than jury selection. It’s a search for bias, and a critical opportunity to lay the groundwork for how the jury will hear everything that follows. When done right, we don’t just […]
DUII Defense
- Aug 21, 2025
- Practice Areas
Experienced DUII Defense Attorneys in Eugene, Oregon When you’re facing Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) charges in Oregon, the stakes are high. A conviction can lead to severe penalties, including license suspension, hefty fines, mandatory treatment programs, and even jail time. At the Law Office of Mike Arnold, we understand that every decision […]
What is Justice?
- Aug 18, 2025
- Legal Theory and Philosophy
What Is Justice? Justice. Everyone talks about it. Few define it. And fewer still ask what it really means in practice. Watch What is Justice? on YouTube – (8 min) In the legal world, justice isn’t about feel-good slogans or political grandstanding. It’s about giving each person what they are due. Not more. Not […]
How to Defend Yourself Against Federal Charges in Oregon
- Aug 14, 2025
- Practice Areas
Trusted Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers in Eugene, Oregon Federal criminal charges are one of the most overwhelming and high-stakes legal challenges a person can endure. Unlike state prosecutions, where sentencing can often be more flexible, federal cases are handled by the United States government—an entity with unlimited resources, dedicated federal prosecutors, and the power to […]