Judicial Rhetoric as a Factor of the Effectiveness of Legal Argumentation

A glance at the history of classical rhetoric sheds light on the firm connection between it and law. Legal disputes following the increasing flow of litigation have raised the need for training in judicial rhetoric. Judicial oratory became an integral part of the life of ancient Athens and Rome, laying the foundation for the development of oral and written rhetoric and becoming a factor in the evolution of legal argumentation. It can be argued that the formation of the law went hand in hand with the development of rhetoric. Many principles of law owe their origin to rhetoric (justice, bona fides, proportionality, certainty). They have penetrated the philosophical and legal world with a specific mission to influence the argumentation of the views of the parties, giving a special meaning to justice, and human life as well. In the democratic concept of law, rhetoric is becoming increasingly necessary, developing along with procedures that served to reveal the talent and ability of a person who sought to convince the court, and the audience by the power of the argument. Realising their constitutional rights, the parties involved in the court proceedings seek to integrate into law their own freedom and understanding of law based on the latter. This approach reflects the experience of past years of law understanding and enforcement, the wisdom of earlier decisions, and the context of the era in which justice is carried out. Rhetoric has always impacted law thanks to legal argumentation and understanding that the argument used can become not just a key to the disclosure of a legal norm by interpreting its meaning, but also a significant resource in the hands of a law enforcement body that can enrich and develop it not just for the credibility of a court decision, but also for the evolution of law.