Arthur Best

Emeritus Professor of Law

Faculty
Sturm College of Law

abest@law.du.edu

Frank H. Ricketson Law Bldg., 2255 East Evans Ave. Denver, CO 80208

Professional Biography

Before entering law teaching, Arthur Best worked in the general counsel’s office of the Federal Communications Commission, as a trial attorney for the Federal Trade Commission, as a project director for Ralph Nader’s Center for Study of Responsive Law, and as a deputy commissioner in the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs.

He has published broadly in fields including evidence, torts, advertising regulation, dispute resolution, and lawyers’ ethics. Among his books are When Consumers Complain (Columbia University Press: 1981), Evidence: Examples and Explanations (10th edition, Wolters Kluwer: 2017), Basic Tort Law (4th edition, Wolters Kluwer: 2014) (co-author), Evidence Law: Practice, Problems and Rules (2d edition, Wolters Kluwer: 2017) and Wigmore on Evidence Supplement volumes (Wolters Kluwer: since 1995, currently three volumes each year). Recent articles are “Lying Lawyers and Recumbent Regulators,” 49 Ind. L. Rev. 1 (2015) and “Winking at the Jury: ‘Implicit Vouching’ Versus the Limits on Opinions about Credibility,” 55 Ariz. L. Rev. 265 (2013) (co-author).

Best has served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the law school and as president of the University’s Faculty Senate. He has represented the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association as a member and chair of law school accreditation inspection teams. He has also served on the board of directors of Colorado Lawyers for the Arts and of the Denver-based Hannah Kahn Dance Company.

Degree(s)

JD, 1969, University of Pennsylvania
AB, 1966, Columbia College

SSRN: View Now

Featured Publications

Winking at the Jury: 'Implicit Vouching' versus the Limits on Opinions About Credibility, co-authored with Jennifer Middleton, Arizona Law Review, forthcoming 2013.
The New Wigmore: Evidence of Other Misconduct and Similar Events, Supplement, Aspen Publishers (published annually, September 2012).
The New Wigmore: Selected Rules of Limited Admissibility, Supplement, Aspen Publishers (published annually, November 2012).
Strategies and Techniques for Teaching Torts, Wolters Kluwer (2011).
Colorado Evidence 2009-2010 Courtroom Manual, co-authored with Robert Hardaway, Frank Jamison and Glen Weissenberger, LexisNexis (2009).

Additional Publications

Wigmore on Evidence Supplement (Wolters Kluwer, 1995 to present) (currently three editions each year) (2012).
Basic Tort Law: Cases, Statutes, and Problems, co-authored with David W. Barnes (Aspen Publishers, 2003; second edition, 2007, third edition, 2010).
Student Evaluations of Law Teaching Work Well: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree, 40 Southwestern L. Rev.1 (2007) (2008).
Evidence: Examples and Explanations (Little, Brown and Co., 1994; second edition Aspen Publishers, 1997; third edition,1999; fourth edition, 2001; fifth edition 2004; sixth edition 2007) (Chinese language edition; Angle Publishing Co., 2002).
Impediments to Reasonable Tort Reform: Lessons from the Adoption of Comparative Negligence, 40 Ind. L. Rev. 1 (2007).
Internet Yellow Page Advertising, co-authored with Shayla Francis, Katarznya Z. Kozak, Lauren Heilig, Kristy Lundahl, Terri Bowland, and Robert P. Dellavalle, 55 Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 67 (co-author) (2006).
Comparative Negligence (Matthew Bender & Co.) (revision author, 1988-2000).
Manufacturers' Responsibility for Harms Suffered by Victims of Counterfeiters: A Modern Elaboration of Causation Rules and Fundamental Tort Law Policies, 8 Currents: Int'l Trade L.J. 43 (Summer 1999).
Torts Roadmap (Aspen Publishers, 1997).
Lawyers from Denver, co-authored with Philip E. Gauthier, Barbara N. Greenspahn (University of Denver, 1996).
Peace, Wealth, Happiness, And Small Claim Courts: A Case STUDY, co-authored with Deborah Zalesne, Kathleen Bridges, Kathryn Chenoweth, Lisa Fine, Jonathan L. Miller, & Kimberly White, 21 Fordham Urb. L.J. 343 Fordham Urban Law Journal Winter 1994.
Considering "Claims Crisis" Claims Clearly, 69 Denv. U. L. Rev. 1085 (1992).
Mediating Consumer Complaints (chapter in Duffy, et al., eds., Issues in Community Mediation (Guilford Press: 1991)).
The Limited Legitimacy of SEC Attorney Discipline: Defining the Commission's Role and Exploring Alternatives (chapter in ABA Section of Business Law, Selected Articles on Federal Securities Law (American Bar Association: 1991)).
Consumer Problems and ADR: An Analysis of the Federal Trade Commission-Ordered General Motors Mediation and Arbitration Program, 1990 J. Dispute Res. 267.
The Talismanic Use of Incomprehensible Writings: An Empirical and Legal Study of Words Displayed in TV Advertisements, 33 St. Louis U. L. Rev. 285 (1989).
Monetary Damages for False Advertising, 49 U. Pitt. L. Rev. 1 (1987).
Controlling False Advertising: A Comparative Study of Public Regulation, Industry Self-Policing and Private Litigation, 20 Ga. L. Rev. 1 (1985).
Current Consumer Complaint Research: Suggestions for its Context and Focus (chapter in American Bar Association Special Committee on Dispute Resolution, Consumer Dispute Resolution: Exploring the Alternatives (1983)).
Shortcomings of Administrative Agency Lawyer Discipline, 31 Emory L. J. 535 (1982).
Seller's Choice: Common Problems and Rare Litigation (chapter in Gambitta, et al., eds., Governing Through Courts (Sage Publications: 1981)).
When Consumers Complain (Columbia University Press, 1981).
Consumer Response to Unsatisfactory Purchases: A Survey of Perceiving Defects, Voicing Complaints and Obtaining Redress, 11 Law & Society Rev. 701 (1977) (co-author).
Consumers Complain - Does Business Respond?, co-authored with Alan Andreasen, 55 Harvard Business Rev. 93 (vol. 4, 1977) (co-author).
Governmental Facilitation of Consumerism: A Proposal for Consumer Action Groups, co-authored with Bernard Brown, 50 Temple L. Q. 253 (1977) (co-author).