Months and even years of case preparation and trial planning can be undone by the smallest of missteps at trial. Timely objections to jury instructions and comprehensive motions for judgment as a matter of law are not mere procedural niceties; they are two of many essential steps towards properly preserving issues for appellate review. A recent trial involving the hip-hop group the Beastie Boys underscores the importance of issue preservation throughout the course of trial and the pitfalls counsel may face if they fail to properly preserve their legal arguments.