During Direct Examination
Advice for preparing:
Advice in presenting:
- Know your case inside out, especially your witness statement.
- Know the questions that your side's attorney will ask and prepare clear and convincing answers that contain the information that the attorney is trying to elicit from your testimony.
- Practice with the attorney.
Advice in presenting:
- Be as relaxed and in control as possible. And appearance of confidence and trustworthiness is important.
- Don't read or recite your witness statement verbatim. You should know its contents beforehand.
- Be sure your testimony is never inconsistent with the facts set forth in your witness statement or the case facts.
- Do not panic if the attorney or judge asks you a question that you have not rehearsed.