Tips In Presenting A Solid Case In Court

By Author: Toby King
Total Articles: 28
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There are pros and cons to representing yourself in court for a case you’re involved in. Of course, if you want to make sure that you’ll win your case, you’re better off hiring a lawyer instead of doing self-representation. But if your case is simple enough that you know you can speak confidently to a judge and you know you’re not guilty of something you’re accused of, then you can go ahead and represent yourself and save money.

If you’re presenting your case in court, here are tips you can follow so you can have a higher chance of winning it:

Do your homework – Just like with many other things, one of the best ways to arm yourself when you get to ‘war’ is to do your homework. If you have witnesses to present, interview all of them and be sure that they are available during the date when they are scheduled to testify. If you have exhibits to show, prepare them and make sure they’re not corrupted or damaged.

Observe other court proceedings – Before your trial begins, visit the court where your case will be tried and make an observation of the judge and the proceedings. ...
... By doing this, you’ll have an idea of what to expect, including how the judge reacts to things like objections and other procedural matters. Observing other trials can give you information on how to behave in that particular courtroom.

Tell a consistent story – One of the things that gets people in trouble when they testify in court is when their narrative is full of inconsistencies and even anachronisms. An inconsistent story is always suspect to the judge and/or the jury and can be your biggest vulnerability, if not the demise of your case. Develop a story with a theme that’s consistent and fully believable. Concocting something and injecting it into your story can cause loopholes in your story.

Always be polite and courteous – You have to project an image that’s not adversarial or disrespectful. Show courtesy and politeness to everyone in the court, from the judge, to the jurors, to the opposing party and counsel, and even to court personnel. In one way or another, your bearing in court has a significant effect on your case. It can even spell the difference between winning and losing it.

Use all necessary tools at your disposal – Get all the visual aids, props, exhibits and other tools you can muster to present a solid case. You should also use gestures and proper inflections when speaking. Remember that your goal is to convince, so make sure you achieve that by using everything you can to back your case up.

Prepare for the unexpected – You may do all the preparation you can, but there can be times when the opposing party would throw a curve ball your way. If this happens, be sure to deal with it in a calm fashion and not immediately panic. Take time to evaluate your options and choose the best way to deal with the surprise attack.

Follow these guidelines so you can have a higher chance of successfully presenting your case in court (you can also consult a law firm Sydney to find out if your case needs the service of a lawyer or you’d be find representing yourself).