Web Review 3

Famous Trials
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/ftrials.htm
Created by Professor Doug Linder and maintained by the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School.
Reviewed Sunday June 21, 2009.

Doug Linder created this website for the original purpose of providing information to his students in his Famous Trials Seminar. His purpose has clearly shifted now to high school, college, and law school instructors and students. It could also be used for scholarly purposes to research the trials to publish books. This sites provides these audience members with transcripts of the most important materials from the thirty plus trials Linder said he has selected, which can be located on the bottom of the homepage under Purpose of the Famous Trials Site.

The site in its design is simplistic but it serves its purpose of providing those viewers with the information they need to be found in a very navigable way. Linder also knows he provided much information to those viewers who can understand the more complex transcripts but accommodates to his younger viewers by providing games and fun facts that draw in middle school students. He also made it interesting for any viewer to become compelled in a wide range of trials during history, from Ancient Times including the Trial of Socrates in 399 B.C., through the present day including the 9/11 trial of Moussaoui in 2006. There is also a list of other famous trials not mentioned on the homepage that could be included in the future, with a few links, including trials from the pre-1800s, 1800-1899, 1900-1949, and 1950-the present day. Some examples include Joan of Arc, Dred Scott, Mohandas Gandhi, Brown vs. Board of Education, etc.

On the bottom of the page, there is a section entitled There's More, with links for other pages, including Other Famous Trials, Exploring Constitutional Law, Profiles of Trial Heroes, Searching for Evil, Searching for Law's Heroes, Clarence Darrow Homepage, Linder's Web Creations, Beliefs, and Ascending the Mountain. Also, there is a factoid that this site is one of the 101 Best Web Sites presented by ISTE Publications in 2005-2006.

The trials are organized in a similar way with an image or photograph in the center and links to primary sources, images, opinions, maps, testimony, and secondary materials. He has included bibliographies for additional research. Another note is that most of these trials have occurred in American history, although some were in other parts of the World, including the Nuremberg Trials and the Oscar Wilde Trials. The design is very basic and not original whatsoever since every trial has the same contents of who were involved, what occurred before and during the trial and what the conclusion of the trial was, which makes the structure coherent.

Linder's point of view in his content is that he has presented both sides of each trial as fairly as possible and presented as much fact as he could replicate with his basic knowledge of web technology. Linder even admitted that some critics did not find the coverage of the trials as fair and balanced but that he attempted to do his best to not display his opinion in what he limited information he chose to present for everyone to see.

The scholarship is sound and current, which especially is shown in the more recent trials he has included in the last forty years. This site is accessible to all viewers and clear in its purpose. The site does not however do much that print, an exhibition, or film could do. This site is lacking in presenting the information in a new media format. The site would be much improved if more newspaper articles, possibly video clips, or other ways to enhance each trial and make it more interesting for his intended audience.