Roger W. Shuy

Discussion of a number of cases in which he worked on where evidence included recorded conversations with informants, some of whom did a better job than others of implicating the targets. Repetitive but useful points about conversational goals and the ambiguities that can develop when people have undisclosed agendas or assumptions about the point of the conversation.

Interesting studies about Nigerian, American South, entrepeneurs & Puerto Ricans. Relevant to teachers

I couldn't get past the first chapter, in which Shuy provides an embarrassingly wrong interpretation of a contract. Though I like Shuy's posts on Language Log, this book is a poor piece of work.

Some shakiness on elements of trademark doctrine is made up for with entertaining accounts of what it's like to be a witness in a trial, a useful guide for experts and lawyers alike. There's also a good short intro to the field of linguistics for lawyers.