NCJ Number
70217
Date Published
1979
Length
284 pages
Annotation
This book focuses on empirically observable similarities and differences between the organization of talk in coversations and court hearings, particularly examination and cross-examination sequences.
Abstract
Recent work in conversational analysis has mainly been based on data from naturally occurring conversations involving very small numbers of people. The findings to date, however, do have implications for the study of speech exchange system. This book is the first attempt to examine what goes on in courts of law using these methods. Existing sociological studies of courtroom interaction are reviewed, and the potential of ethnomethodological approaches to the study of legal phenomena explored. A series of detailed evaluations of transcribed extracts from the opening sequences in a coroner's court and the blame allocation sequences in a tribunal of enquiry are presented. Analysis focuses on such issues as the way order is achieved at the start of a hearing and the ways in which accusations, excuses, and justifications are produced during the course of a cross-examination. The evaluations represent one of the first attempts to adopt this developing approach to the analysis of naturally occurring interaction in research into a speech exchange system other than conversations. The broad implications of use of ethnomethodology and conversations analysis for court work are discussed. Notes, an appendix of transcription symbols, 120 references, and a subject index are included. (Author abstract modified).