The Do’s and Don’ts of Testifying: Insights from a Criminal Defense Lawyer
Even though the middle of a legal battle, and you are about to have to appear in court and testify, my name is Carl Burkett. I’m a criminal attorney in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I’ve been practicing for about seven years. I’d like to talk with you a little bit about what to expect in the middle of the trial. So, a lot of my clients, tend to get pretty nervous at the idea of getting up on the stand. I can understand that. It can be intimidating to sit there, be sworn in, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but. It feels like there’s a lot of pressure. There are some ways that you can alleviate that.
Number one, trust your lawyer. If you can’t trust your lawyer, then you may as well not even go to court in the first place. Your attorney is going to have your back. They know this case inside and out, and they know what questions to ask you to help you look the best. Do not answer more than what they ask you. I’ve had a lot of, not a lot, but I’ve had a few times where clients would want to go on and answer more than just the specific question. The simple way that I like to put it is, if I ask you the time, don’t tell me how to build a clock.
Cross-Examination Tips
There will be times when you maybe need to give some more information. Your attorney will then give you those leading questions of, can you explain what was happening, or can you describe to me this event? That’s your little bit more open-ended way of being able to tell your story, but telling your story in a structured way that helps your lawyer present your case for you. The biggest thing that I have seen throw my clients off is when I’m done and the other side is getting up to do a cross-examination.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to try to keep your cool during cross-examination. It’s the other lawyer’s job to try to fluster you, to try to trip you up, to try to make you seem like you’re double-talking. Do not try to fight with them or argue with them about whatever point they’re trying to make. Your Tulsa attorney will typically get a chance to get up and do what’s called a redirect, which means that essentially whatever points you feel like or your lawyer feels like got scored during cross-examination, your attorney’s gonna get a chance to clean it up.
Low-Cost Initial Strategy Session
If you have any other questions about this or if you have a case that you feel that you need some help with to take to trial, please feel free to reach out to us at Wirth Law Office. You can find us at makelaweasy.com. Once again, my name is Carl Burkhead. Thank you. For a low-cost initial strategy session, contact us at 918-879-1681.
