Over 10 million arrests occur in the United States annually. Being arrested can be a very stressful and worrisome experience. If you are charged with a crime, then you will need to seek out the help of a legal professional. Trying to defend yourself in a court of law is nearly impossible. In most cases, people who insist on representing themselves live to regret it.
Four tips for testifying in court
Once you have found a lawyer to represent you in this legal matter, you will have to start preparing for your day in court. Your lawyer may feel like allowing you to testify in court is a good idea. If you do have to testify in a court of law, consider the helpful information below.
1. Work on Remaining Calm
Before you testify before a jury of your peers, your lawyer will probably work on preparing you for this process. Generally, the prosecuting attorney will work on making you look like a witness that is not very credible. They will do this by picking apart every piece of the testimony you offer up. There will be times when these attorneys may accuse you of things you didn’t do. Instead of flying off of the handle, work on remaining calm and collected.
As your defense lawyer will probably tell you, getting upset and lashing out in court is a horrible idea. Doing this may put seeds of doubt in the minds of the judge and the jury. This is why you need to take a deep breath and answer each question honestly and directly. If you are accused of something you didn’t do by the prosecuting attorney, simply refute these claims and move on.
2. Be Mindful of Your Appearance
You will probably have a number of months to prepare for your appearance in court. As your court date approaches, you need to think about your appearance. The last thing you should do in court is show up looking disheveled or unkempt. This is why you need to groom yourself and wear nice clothes in the courtroom.
Lawyers generally advise their clients to wear suits or nice dresses when testifying. Projecting a professional and put-together look can help you win over the jury and get the outcome you are after.
3. Always Be Respectful
Things can get pretty intense in the courtroom. Letting your emotions get the better of you can lead to lots of problems. Focus on being respectful to both the judge and the lawyers in the courtroom with you. Addressing each of these professionals by their title is crucial.
Being rude to the lawyer, jurors or judge can put you in a bad light. If you are being charged with a serious crime, you need to show everyone in the courtroom that your mistake was a momentary lapse in judgment and not a pattern of behavior. The best way to accomplish this is by being respectful and accommodating.
Always be respectful in a courtroom
4. Go Over Your Testimony with Your Lawyer
In the days leading up to your trial, your lawyer will probably go over your testimony extensively. By doing this, you can get an idea of what needs to be said. If parts of your testimony aren’t making sense or aren’t consistent with your statements to the police, your lawyer will bring this to your attention. By ironing out details of your testimony beforehand, you can avoid getting called out by the prosecution at trial.
Schedule Consultations With Defense Lawyers in Your Area
Are you trying to find a defense lawyer to represent you? If so, scheduling a few consultations is a good idea. The information from these consultations will make hiring a lawyer much easier.
