� BE POLITE TO EVERYONE
� TREAT EVERYONE AS A POTENTIAL JUROR
� DON�T DISCUSS ANYTHING INFLAMMATORY OR PERSONAL WITH ANYONE
� DON�T DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS
� DON�T DISCUSS ANYTHING ABOUT THE CASE
� DON�T EXHIBIT EVIDENCE
� DON�T ARGUE WITH ANYONE
� DRESS APPROPRIATELY
� DON�T ACT LIKE YOU�VE GOT SOMETHING TO PROVE (DON�T MAKE AN ISSUE OF YOUR RACE, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ETC.)
� BE PUNCTUAL
� KNOW WHERE YOU�RE GOING
YOU�RE ON DISPLAY
� THE JURORS HAVE NOTHING ELSE AT WHICH TO LOOK
� THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHILE YOU WALK TO THE WITNESS STAND AND ARE SWORN IN
WHAT�S YOUR PURPOSE?
� TRY TO PUT THE JUDGE AND JURY BACK AT THE SCENE
� DRAW A WORD-PICTURE TO ALLOW THE JUDGE AND JURY TO �SEE� AND �HEAR� WHAT YOU SAW AND HEARD
ARE YOU THERE TO CONVICT THE DEFENDANT?
� YOU�LL LOSE CREDIBILITY IF YOU ACT AS THOUGH CONVICTING IS YOUR JOB
INDICATIONS YOU�VE GOT THE WRONG PURPOSE IN MIND (YOU�RE TRYING TO CONVICT)
� ACTING LIKE AN ADVOCATE
� ACTING LIKE YOU�RE PART OF THE PROSECUTION TEAM
� LESS COURTEOUS TO DEFENSE ATTORNEY THAN TO PROSECUTOR
� BEING ANTAGONISTIC AND UNCOOPERATIVE WITH DEFENSE ATTORNEY
IF YOU DON�T CONVICT THE DEFENDANT, WHO DOES?
� THE JURY
BE NATURAL
� DON�T SHOW OFF YOUR COLLEGE VOCABULARY
� DON�T TALK IN POLICE JARGON
POLICE JARGON
� �DETECT AN ODOR� = SMELL
� �OBSERVED� = SAW
� �RESPONDED� = WENT
� �CONTACTED� = SPOKE TO
� �ACTIVATED THE UNIT�S EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT� = TURNED ON THE LIGHTS AND SIREN
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
� DON�T GET ON THE STAND WITHOUT TALKING TO THE PROSECUTOR ABOUT �FORBIDDEN AREAS�
� DON�T LIE TO PROTECT THE DEFENDANT�S SECRETS
�I DIDN�T HEAR�
� IF YOU DIDN�T HEAR THE QUESTION, SAY THAT
� DON�T GUESS AT THE QUESTION
� DON�T ASK THE ATTORNEY TO REPEAT IT
�I DON�T UNDERSTAND�
� IF YOU DIDN�T UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, SAY THAT
� DON�T ASK THE ATTORNEY TO REPHRASE IT
�I DON�T KNOW�
� IF YOU DON�T KNOW THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION, SAY THAT
� DON�T GUESS
�I�M NOT SURE, BUT��
� IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW BUT ARE NOT SURE, SAY THAT
�I DON�T REMEMBER�
� IF YOU DON�T REMEMBER, SAY THAT
� �I DON�T KNOW� AND �I DON�T REMEMBER� ARE DIFFERENT
NO HEDGING
� IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, DON�T QUALIFY IT
� DON�T SAY, �AS FAR AS I CAN RECALL� IF YOU�RE SURE OF THE ANSWER
DON�T READ ANYTHING IN
� JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, ONE AT A TIME
� DON�T TRY TO GUESS WHERE THE ATTORNEY�S GOING
BE UNCONDITIONAL
� DON�T USE CONDITIONAL WORDS SUCH AS �WOULD� OR �COULD�
� Q: WHO WAS YOUR PARTNER?
A: THAT WOULD BE OFFICER HILLBE PATIENT
DON�T INTERRUPT
� ONE AT A TIME
� COURT REPORTERS CANNOT REPORT TWO SPEAKERS AT ONCE
� IF YOU ARE MORE COURTEOUS THAN THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY, YOU SCORE POINTS WITH THE JURY
DON�T VOLUNTEER
� ANSWER EVERY QUESTION WITH THE SHORTEST TRUTHFUL ANSWER
� THEN WAIT FOR THE NEXT QUESTION
� ONE OF THE BEST PIECES OF ADVICE IN THE BOOK
DON�T ANSWER TOO QUICKLY
� GIVE THE ATTORNEY A CHANCE TO OBJECT
DON�T WAIT TOO LONG
� YOU DON�T WANT TO LOOK LIKE YOU�RE MAKING UP AN ANSWER
DON�T STALL
� REPEATING THE QUESTION IS A STALL TACTIC
� SUCH BEHAVIOR OFTEN INDICATES UNTRUTHFULNESS
WHEN OBJECTIONS ARE MADE...
� STOP TALKING
� IF YOU HEAR THE JUDGE SAY, �SUSTAINED,� WAIT FOR THE NEXT QUESTION
� IF YOU HEAR THE JUDGE SAY, �OVERRULED,� ANSWER THE QUESTION
IF ASKED THE SAME QUESTION A SECOND TIME...
� �I BELIEVE I�VE ALREADY STATED�� IS A CHEAP SHOT
� DON�T DO IT
GESTURES
� COURT RECORDERS AND TAPE RECORDERS CANNOT RECORD YOUR GESTURES AS PART OF THE RECORD
� �IT WAS THIS BIG� WON�T WORK
INARTICULATE ANSWERS
� �UH HUH� AND �HUH UH� DON�T WORK WELL IN COURT TRANSCRIPTS
VERBAL BRACKETS AND APPROXIMATIONS
� USE THESE WHEN ASKED FOR MEASUREMENTS YOU HAVEN�T MADE
� BRACKETS: �IT WAS 10 TO 15 FEET AWAY�
� APPROXIMATIONS: �IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 12 FEET�
DON�T QUOTE OR INTERPRET THE LAW
� IN COURT, ONLY THE JUDGE DOES THAT
� IF ASKED ABOUT THE LAW, SAY, �IF YOU�RE ASKING FOR A LEGAL OPINION, I�LL HAVE TO DEFER TO THE COURT. IF YOU�RE ASKING FOR MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW, IT IS THAT�.�
DON�T DRAW CONCLUSIONS
� THAT�S THE JURY�S JOB
WHO DO YOU FACE?
� FOR SHORT ANSWERS, FACE THE ATTORNEY ASKING THE QUESTIONS
� FOR LONG ANSWERS (OR IF THE ATTORNEY SAYS, �WILL YOU PLEASE TELL THE JURY�,�) FACE THE JURY
WHEN MAKING A DIAGRAM
� DON�T TALK TO THE DIAGRAM
� DO YOUR DRAWING, THEN TURN AND FACE THE OPEN COURTROOM
� USE BIG WRITING
� SMALL WRITING IS NOT APPROPRIATE IN A BIG ROOM
WATCH YOUR PRONOUNS
� �HE TOLD HIM TO TAKE HIS GUN AND SHOOT HIM�
� WHEN IN DOUBT, USE NAMES
� SMITH TOLD JONES TO TAKE BROWN�S GUN AND SHOOT GREEN
SHOW RESPECT
� THE JUDGE IS ALWAYS "YOUR HONOR" (NO GENDER BIAS)
� IF YOU DON�T KNOW ATTORNEY�S NAMES, CALL THEM "COUNSEL"
� REFER TO DEFENDANTS AS �MR.� OR �MS.� (IN COURT, NOT WHEN WRITING YOUR REPORT)
DON�T BE A VULTURE
� LEAVE WHEN EXCUSED
� ANYTHING ELSE MAKES YOU LOOK BIASED