Practical Tips for New Lawyers on How to Act in and Around the Courtroom
| Publication year | 1985 |
| Pages | 1642 |
| Citation | Vol. 14 No. 9 Pg. 1642 |
1985, September, Pg. 1642. Practical Tips for New Lawyers on How to Act In and Around the Courtroom
As we all know, there are many things that are not taught in law school. The fundamentals of how to act in and around the courtroom are apparently among them. The tips presented in this article are meant to help fill in this gap. Observation of these fundamentals can benefit both you and your client, as well as the court system.
New lawyers are by no means the only offenders; it is hoped that more experienced lawyers will gain something as well. Sometimes even experienced lawyers become lackadaisical or forget about these basics.
These tips are based on what I expect in my courtroom, and I believe that most, if not all, judges would want you to follow them. However, each judge may have slightly different standards, and you should check to see if there are any questions regarding additional rules which may be applicable.
These tips are important for a number of reasons. Inappropriate courtroom behavior may tend to give the judge, consciously or unconsciously, a negative point of view concerning both you and your client. This, of course, should be avoided at all costs, and it is extremely simple to avoid. Appropriate behavior tends to give the judge a positive point of view, which should be one of your goals. Appropriate behavior also makes a better record and helps the flow of the court's docket. To their detriment, many attorneys follow few or none of the following fundamentals of appropriate courtroom behavior.
State your name, the case number and caption, your client's name and a very brief introduction as to why you are in court. If your name is difficult to spell, spell it for the record. By following this simple tip, you have made a record, and the judge understands why you are in court. Keep in mind that many dockets are crowded, and judges do not have total recall of each case called. Too often attorneys have stood before me and said absolutely nothing or, at best, so little that they gave me no direction whatsoever.
If in county court, you must keep in mind that the tape recorder does not recognize you or your client nor does it know your case number. In...
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