When Franklin Roosevelt, president of the United States from 1933 to 1945, was a young lawyer just getting started in New York, he was retained to handle a difficult civil case. The opposing lawyer was a very effective jury pleader and completely outshone his youthful rival in the argument to the jury. However, he made one fatal mistake : he orated for several hours.
As he thundered on, Roosevelt noticed that the jury was not paying much attention. So, playing a hunch when his turn came, he rose and said, "Gentlemen, you have heard the evidence. You also have listened to my distinguished colleague, a brilliant orator. If you believe him and disbelieve the evidence, you will have to decide in his favour. That is all I have to say." The jury was out only five minutes and brought in a verdict for Roosevelt's client.
富蘭克林．羅斯福一九三三年到一九四五年任美國總統。他初出道時，在紐約任律師，曾獲聘處理一宗棘手的民事案。對方的律師擅於向陪審團陳詞，年輕的羅斯福完全不能頡頏。不過，那律師犯了個大忌：他洋洋纚纚講了幾小時。
那律師大逞雄辯的時候，羅斯福發覺陪審團並不留心細聽。他於是憑直覺定對策，輪到他陳詞時，站起來說：「各位聽過證據陳述，也聽過我這位出色同事的出色演說。假如各位相信他而不相信證據，應判他勝訴。我要說的，就是這麼多。」陪審團五分鐘之後即回到法庭，判羅斯福代表的一方勝訴。