How to Prepare for Trial
5 General Rules for the Courtroom
As attorneys we are comfortable in the courtroom, but we recognize that for many of our clients, their trial with us will be the first time they’ve ever been in front of a judge. It can be intimidating, and there are a few things you should know about the courtroom before you go to trial. Here are five of the general “rules” I give my clients when we’re preparing for trial. 1. WAIT FIVE SECONDS BEFORE ANSWERING A QUESTION. Give yourself some time to think about what you’re going to say. It also gives us the opportunity to object to the question if we need to. 2. IF YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION, SAY SO. When you’re on the spot, it can feel like you have to give an answer, but if you truly do not know the answer to a question, it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” 3. KEEP YOUR ANSWERS BRIEF. If you’ve determined you do know the answer and I haven’t made any objections, keep your answer as brief as possible and directed toward the question being asked. In some situations, a simple “yes” or “no” is best. 4. IF YOU’RE ASKED TO EXPLAIN THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION, KEEP YOUR ANSWER AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. As with No. 3, keep it brief, and your answer should relate directly to the question being asked. 5. YOUR ATTORNEY WILL GET TO ASK FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. If the other attorney asks a question and you’re worried that your answer won’t paint you in a very positive light, know that there will be an opportunity for me to ask follow-up, clarifying questions. It’s very important to be truthful in every aspect of the case. Everyone has less-than- ideal circumstances in their life. It’s much better to confront them than to beat around the bush. All that does is highlight to the other attorney that there’s something you don’t want to talk about. If an attorney wants to get it out of you, they are going to keep asking questions. Being straightforward, truthful, clear, and brief in your answers is often the best policy in trial.
WHEN SHOULD YOUR KIDS START WORKING?
OUT OF THE GAME ROOM AND INTO THE WORKPLACE
When the dolls and baseball cards get pushed to the wayside for cell phones and movie dates, it may be time to gently nudge your child out from under your wing and into the workplace. It doesn’t have to be pushing shopping carts or spinning signs on the corner; working in any capacity during formative years builds character and gives your child real-world experience. Summer jobs teach the value of a dollar and give kids lasting memories, and after-school gigs lead to more pocket change for the weekends and less worrying for Mom and Dad. The hard part isn’t asking yourself if they should work; it’s asking yourself when they should work. In the U.S., most of us have about four decades of working to look forward to. Many start working in late adolescence and continue until retirement age. Now, that’s a lot of work to be had. So why rush it? Well, idle hands often spell disaster. Sitting around all day is a burden on both child and parent, whether they realize it or not. Those few years between hitting puberty and graduating high school are the sweet spot for your child to start their part-time career. There’s no shame in flipping burgers, stocking shelves, or mowing lawns. As of 2014, there were 16 million workers in the retail and food service industries, and the numbers have only gone up from there. But work ethic is changing among American teenagers. Just one-third of individuals aged 16–19 had a job lined up for last summer, compared to 51.2 percent for the same age range in 1997.While surviving on minimum wage as an adult is a topic of great debate, raking in around $10 an hour as a 14-year-old can seem like a king’s ransom. A few working hours here and there will do your grown baby a world of good and prepare them for the next chapter of their lives.
I’ll be back next month with some additional pointers for trial preparation. Please reach out if you have any questions. I’m happy to help.
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