Spreading through social media is a clip from John Belcher. He talks about how he got his dream job as a prosecutor, which allowed him to be in court almost every day and work with court reporters and other court staff. He talks about all the things that court reporters hope attorneys talk about. Some key takeaways?
- Don’t do something you wouldn’t do in front of the judge. They read the transcripts.
- Don’t step on the witness. Count to four before starting the next question or answer.
- Speak a little slower. He suggests 70% speed.
- Don’t disrespect opposing counsel, the witness, the court reporter, or other attendees.
- Be careful about side discussions that take away or distract from the proceeding.
- Adding fillers at the beginning of questions like “okay” or “perfect” may create bad habits for trial questioning.
- Preparation is key. Expecting the court reporter to put up your exhibits for you may burn valuable time.
Don’t take it from me, check out his video on LinkedIn today! You can also see his YouTube here.