William F. "Trey" Underwood, III Completes Basic Litigation Training
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia (PAC) presented its annual Basic Litigation Training Course from June 23-29, 2007 in Forsyth, Georgia at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC). Fifty-three newly hired prosecutors from across the state participated in an intensive six-day seminar. The course is devoted to in-depth lecture sessions as well as workshops that give prosecutors with little or no courtroom experience an opportunity to hone their skills.
William F. "Trey" Underwood, III, Assistant District Attorney assigned to Juvenile Court in the Dougherty Judicial Circuit, completed this year's training. He has been an Assistant District Attorney for four months in the office of District Attorney Ken Hodges. Underwood is the son of Marsha Underwood of Silverthorne, Colorado and Bill Underwood of Albany, Georgia. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2004 and Florida Coastal School of Law in 2006.
"When I was a teenager, I was the victim of a violent crime. I was shot in the back with a 9mm. Since that time, I've been interested in prosecution and in representing the state of Georgia in the prosecution of crimes," said Underwood. "I enrolled in this program to hone my trial skills and become a better representative and advocate for the citizens and state of Georgia."
At the Basic Litigation course, students are taught by seasoned prosecutors who serve as faculty members and use their years of experience to train and educate the less experienced prosecutors. "A beginning attorney should never pass the opportunity to be teamed up with experienced attorneys to get one-on-one critiques," said Underwood. Faculty members place a significant emphasis on the development of "Theory" and "Theme" based prosecution. And, with a faculty to student ratio of nearly 1-to-1, the Basic Litigation Course conducted in Georgia continues to be one of the most effective courses of its kind.
During the week-long training, students attended lectures and workshops on legal subjects such as: opening statements, direct examination , introduction of evidence, use of demonstrative aids, cross examination and impeachment, hearsay, motions, similar transactions and character evidence, expert witness, and closing arguments. The course culminated in a mock trial conducted in front of a volunteer jury.
"This experience has better prepared me for jury trials. The course offered some great tips on opening statements and closing arguments. I feel much more confident now with those two aspects of a trial and how to organize and prepare for them," said Underwood.
Underwood also discussed what he feels is the hardest part of a trial. "Generally, nothing is ever easy in a trial," he said. " If you have an excellent witness and evidence you know you're going to get in, then the direct examination of that witness would be the closest thing to "easy." However, that doesn't happen very often. I would say that cross examination is always the hardest aspect of a trial because you're dealing with a witness who does not want to help you in any way, and it forces you to very carefully elicit the helpful facts you want out of the witness without damaging your case, if possible," said Underwood.
Underwood believes that both knowledge of the law AND hands-on experience are the keys to being a successful prosecutor. "I believe that law school prepares students well for the legal analysis required in practicing law," said Underwood. "However, more "hands on" training should be required to better prepare future attorneys for the rigors of the "real world" practice of law," said Underwood.
"I am more confident now as a result of taking the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council's Basic Litigation Training course. It has helped me to gain a better grasp and understanding of the procedural aspects of trial work and provided some good advice on avoiding common "rookie" mistakes and pitfalls. Anytime you can get one-on-one advice from experienced attorneys, it is a great opportunity. I recommend this course to other new prosecutors. It is as effective as a course can be in re-creating the stress of real trial work," said Underwood.
The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia presents its Basic Litigation Training Course to new prosecutors every June.
