6 Important Things You Need To Do When Being Questioned By A Prosecutor In Your Criminal Case
One thing that defendants in criminal cases may need to do at their trial is testify and be questioned by the prosecutor. How well you field the prosecutor's questions at your trial can have a big impact on whether or not you get the 'not guilty' verdict you seek.
The following are six important things you need to do when being questioned by a prosecutor to maximize your chances of getting a good outcome:
1. Take any advice your lawyer has to offer
Your attorney should be highly experienced with going to trial and arguing against prosecutors in defense of their clients. As such, they are a great source of advice on how you should handle questioning from the prosecutor. Discuss your trial with your lawyer and ask for advice. Make sure your attorney fills you in on what questions you can expect to be asked while you're testifying.
2. Listen carefully to all the questions you're asked
You don't want to misunderstand a question you're asked. This could lead you to inadvertently give an inaccurate answer or provide information you don't have to provide. Don't be afraid to ask the prosecutor for clarification if there is any aspect of a question that you are confused or uncertain about.
3. Don't provide information you're not asked for
It's important to limit the information you provide when you're answering questions. While you are expected to answer all the prosecutor's questions completely, you do not have to volunteer any information.
4. Avoid guessing about anything
If you guess when you're providing information in court and you turn out to be wrong, the prosecutor could use this to undermine the reliability of your testimony. Therefore, you should never guess. Only provide answers when you are absolutely certain that they are accurate. You have every right to respond that you don't know if you are uncertain about the answer to the prosecutor's question.
5. Do not under any circumstance lose your temper
You may be upset regarding the criminal charges against you, and you may not consider them to be fair. This can lead to feelings of animosity toward the prosecutor. However, you must not lose your composure during testimony because this will definitely make you look bad.
6. Be consistent in your story
You can be sure that the prosecutor will capitalize on any inconsistencies in your story. Therefore, you should make sure that you're not going to have to go back on any claims you make while testifying. Any inconsistencies in your testimony can make you look unreliable or untruthful.
For more information, check out a website like https://dlplawyers.com/.
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