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I'm going to court on Monday.

Has anyone else been to court before, because this is a first for me, and it's scary, what if I tell the story wrong and everyone has things against me because they don't understand what I say...And my family want me to stay with my dad, who lives some where else from me, until the "Heat dies down" And after monday they don't want me to go back to school, and yesterday I just got a girlfriend, and I won't see her or anything...
Has anyone else been to court please? What happens in there?
 
Well, what happens differs on what kind of case it is.
But besides that, you probably won't screw up on the story, until cross-examination if it's a criminal case...
 

Kest

Member

I've been to court as a kid. It's a miserable place, I'll grant you that. Just be honest and stay calm - if I remember right, they don't always use a big chamber with an audience, sometimes they use small conference rooms where it's easier to talk.
 
Oh yeah I've been to court before. Lol its one hell of an intense place. I mean just tell the truth and hope to god that the find the person guilty. If not then I'd suggest you stay with your dad until the heat dies down. But before I give any legal advice can I ask whats going on??? You don't have to answer it if you don't want I'm just wondering. Oh yeah and about the girl if you just got her then she should understand. Hell if I was her I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you. So yeah she should understand. And also I had no idea you were 14!!! wow you learn something new everyday. Lol ^_^ but yeah just relax and you'll be fine. Tell the truth and it should be okay....but my cousin told the truth and he got shot in the head because of it...don't worry he survived. But I don't think anything like that will happen to you. So don't worry. You'll be okay. just tell the truth and it'll be okay.
 
I've been to court a few times. Twice I was on trial for doing things which I regret- and another time I went to help a friend. They were both small things, though, and it was more or less a meeting room with a judge and lawyers- small cases are nothing like the Law and Order shows on television.

Then again, it depends on what you did.

Court's not a big deal. If you didn't do anything wrong, then there's nothing to worry about. Just keep your cool and tell the truth- always tell the truth. Remember, the lawyers and judge are people too. Keep that in mind, and it's easier to talk to them. They're not out to get you- they're out to see justice done.

Good luck.
 
Serenade said:
I've been to court a few times. Twice I was on trial for doing things which I regret- and another time I went to help a friend. They were both small things, though, and it was more or less a meeting room with a judge and lawyers- small cases are nothing like the Law and Order shows on television.

Then again, it depends on what you did.

Court's not a big deal. If you didn't do anything wrong, then there's nothing to worry about. Just keep your cool and tell the truth- always tell the truth. Remember, the lawyers and judge are people too. Keep that in mind, and it's easier to talk to them. They're not out to get you- they're out to see justice done.

Good luck.
This is true...but is the guy like gonna be sitting next to you or something??? And of course you never wanna lie to a judge. That'll get you put in holding lol. And yeah I've been for somethings to. Destruction of property and whatnot. Lol but it was all thrown out. Anyways yeah Serenade speaks the truth it can get pretty intense but its not like in law and order or Boston Legal. Lol I wish it were like boston legal though...Then I'd have allen shore as my lawyer. Lol but yeah good luck. And don't lie. You have to swear on a bible.
 
I never swore on a Bible- and even if I did, it wouldn't have meant anything.

The reason you shouldn't lie is because it will make things just more complicated. Keeping your story true is keeping your story consistent- and that's what matters.
 
I'm in courts quite frequently (mostly as a spectator)... it's really not bad. If anything it's rather boring to a layperson (of course to me, it's the most exciting place ever).


From the sounds of things, you're a witness not a defendant, right?

As a witness you don't really have a lot to worry about. Just answer the questions that the attorneys ask to the best of your ability. If you don't understand a question, don't be afraid to say so.

You're only 14, so the attorneys are going to treat you with kid gloves. The other side might ask if you've ever been convicted of anything, but he won't treat you as a hostile witness unless you give the judge a reason to let him.

Just answer what's asked and don't be a smartass. You'll do fine. No one expects your recollection to be perfect, they just expect you to do your best and tell the truth.


It might be a little boring, but it might also make you feel better... so I'll give a brief summary of what actually happens in court.

1) (if it's a jury trial) Voir Dire: This is the first stage of the proceedings. It's where the attorneys pick the jury members. They'll ask the prospective jurors questions and dismiss those the ones they don't want on the jury.

2) Opening Statements: The attorneys will give their opening statements. They can get long, but they average at around five minutes for each side.

3) State's Case: The prosecution will call their witnesses. Each witness will be sworn in by the bailiff when they're called. The prosecutor will ask questions of them, usually in a friendly manner. This is called "direct examination" (usually just "direct"). Once the prosecutor finishes asking questions, the defense attorney has to opportunity to question the witness. This is called "cross examination" (usually just "cross"). Typically the questioning during cross is not as friendly as that of direct, but it does not degenerate into the screaming matches you see on TV. After cross, the prosecutor has an opportunity to question the witness again in what is called "re-direct." Likewise, after re-direct, the defense attorney as another opportunity to question the witness in what is called re-cross. This cycle continues until both attorneys have no more questions for the witness. This process of questioning repeats itself for each witness that the prosecution calls.

4) Prosecution Rests: Once the prosecution finishes calling witnesses, it will rest its case. At this point, the defense attorney will move that all charges be dismissed on the grounds that the prosecution has failed to make a prima facie case against the defendant. The judge will deny this motion (they almost always do, its simply a motion that all defense attorneys make at this stage regardless of whether it's supportable).

5) Defense's Case: This works exactly like the state's case, except it's the defense attorney calling witnesses for direct, and the prosecution cross examining them.

6) Defense Rests: The defense will rest once it finishes calling witnesses. At this point the defense attorney will likely renew his motion that the case be dismissed. Again, the judge will likely deny it. Especially if it's a jury trial.

7) Closing Arguments: Each side will give their closing argument. Don't worry about the procedure of who gets to talk first and last... it doesn't really matter.

8) Jury Verdict Reading: The jury will now go their little room to discuss the case amongst themselves and come to a unanimous decision. When they return, the foreperson will read the verdict to the judge and the defendant.

More happens from here, but you likely will not have to worry about it. If you're just a witness, your role in the trial is essentially over.

EDIT: Civil trials can be a bit different in terms of procedure. A simple tort case will be very similar to what I described above. A divorce or other family law proceeding could be considerably different.
 

Mega Flare

Awesome Bro

my brother was supose to go to court for geting caught shoplifting and carrying weed at wal-mart BUT when my brother got there they said the Charges were droped. They were droped casue the secerty people at the mall SERACHED my brother and OPENED everything they had and there not allowed to do that.
 

Anonymous

Guest

That's pretty spectacular, MegaFlare! Thank you for contributing to this wonderful topic with your own off brand of zany adventure stories. You truly are a king of kings.

I've been to court, and it's pretty gay! As long as you don't lie, freak out, or pull a gun and start picking everyone off one by one, you'll do fine.
 
I've been today. I had to hide behind a screen from the guy, and they all said I was great. The guy's lawyer was trying to say: He's 14, he doesn't know anything. That was his best defence.
 
They said I would, but then they said I wouldn't...
EDIT: You people probably think: el felixio should've been prosecuted aloooong time ago...
(Well, everyone does hate me so that's what I expect you think)
 
el felixio":3mg7887v said:
You people probably think: el felixio should've been prosecuted aloooong time ago...
(Well, everyone does hate me so that's what I expect you think)

Why don't you knock off your little crybaby routine and actually fucking grow up? You are starting to sound a lot like punkid89 who feels sorry for himself because he believes the entire world is out to get him.

First and foremost, continue your "woe-is-me" dialouge, and I can guarantee you that people are going to start getting tired of it...just as I have.
 

Anonymous

Guest

Well then don't whine and try to give people a better opinion of you.

The guy's lawyer was trying to say: He's 14, he doesn't know anything. That was his best defence.

Either this is bull or that's the worst lawyer ever :x
 
el felixio said:
You just made me cry...
And everyone does hate me, The Cry of Fallen Angels said that the second I joined .org

People dislike you for the very reason Wings brought to attention.

If you didn't act like people hated you, then I guarantee a lot less people would. whining and crying about not being liked won't lead to people liking you- it will push them away. To put it bluntly, you're being annoying.

As annoying as you may be online, I still wish you good luck in court.
 

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