If you are the defendant in a case against you, and your case is going into a court of law, you will want to present yourself in a favorable manner. If you are able to show the judge and jury you are serious about the charges against you and you exhibit a positive outlook overall with the way you conduct yourself, you will be more believable as they will be more apt to listen to your side of the story impartially. Conducting yourself in a negative way can lead them to believe you may have committed the crime you are being charged with, merely on assessing you as having poor character. Here are some tips to use when presenting yourself in court.

Dress Appropriately

When going to court, you do not want to wear jeans, shorts, a tank top, flip-flops, or any other casual attire. Wearing business casual clothing will have others see you as if you are someone who is concerned about their case. Make sure your clothing is clean, unwrinkled, and not distracting to others in the courtroom. 

Speak When Asked

When it is your turn to speak, do so slowly so the courtroom reporter will have adequate time to type out your responses to questions. Talk into the provided microphone without whispering or muffling your words.

When you are asked to answer a question, take a few seconds to think through your answer rather than blurting it out. Breathing in and waiting two or three seconds as you collect your thoughts will allow you to give articulate answers with meaning. Do not speak when it is not your turn to answer questions, as this will make you appear impatient or as if you are trying to manipulate the case by distracting jurors away from the information being presented.

Address Others

When it is your turn to give facts about the case, look over at the jurors rather than avoiding eye contact with them. If they are able to see you are genuine in your answers by showing you are unafraid to look them in the eyes when speaking about facts, they will be more apt to give you a non-guilty verdict. Address the judge and lawyers with courteousness by using "sir" or "ma'am" when giving responses. 

Be Attentive

When you are seated waiting for your chance to answer questions, do not appear distracted or bored. Jurors will be glancing your way, so you will want to be listening to everything being said on the stand. Do not chew gum, tap a pen, shake your feet, or do any other distracting acts while seated in front of the courtroom. Look at the lawyers and jurors in front of you and pay attention to all they are saying pertaining to your case, as you may need to speak about one of the points when it is time to get on the stand. For assistance, talk to a lawyer like Coley Hennessy Cassis Ewasko.

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