ok SADLY - I have to go to court. Please find me a suit or some such as my head is not strong enough ..

[NotAnOtter]

I am size 12 and need it by next week

I am too stressed by case to even think

PLEASE HELP!

thanks again
will look in wardrobe tonight as friend says snart trousers and a cardy will be fine?

thanks again
will look in wardrobe tonight as friend says smart trousers and a cardy will be fine?

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its crwon court and i have to admit i asked a witness care woman today what to where

she said' not a cropped top'

'some lads turn up in hoodies - that does not look good'

this truly is Bradford!

'wear' of course!

What about a quick squizz round the charity shops or Primark - I'd feel like I was sticking two fingers up at them behind my back by spending as little as possible - then burn it at the end.

Hope all goes ok. I've been in court many, many times (covering cases for local paper, I hasten to add!) and it looks like a really scary place at first but don't let it phase you. Keep your nerve and your temper and I hope you'll be fine.

thnkyou scootergirl and your words sound wise
do people lose their temper then???

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more more more cod - this is what i need to hear!

Remember that the barristers are similar to actors. They are playing a part. They are showmen. In the same way people say it helps to imagine someone naked, look at the prosecutor and just be aware that he/she has been hired to play a role, to act.
Don't get angry. Don't try to "win an argument". Just be honest, state the facts, say if you disagree.
Never been in criminal courts, but have faced barristers (as well as had them on my side) and I have learned to keep my desire to win, and to be try and be smart in check. Learned from my mistakes - if you get emotional or combative, it seems that the barristers feed on that. Whereas if you simply answer their questions truthfully and don't get drawn in their power seems to diminish. They are fantastic showmen/women.

Good luck.

totally agree

emr let me think of other things they do
if they ask you an od q at the beginnign and then write it down make anote
they are tyrign to formulate and argument an that thing they wrote down will come back again

also barristers9 more than solcitors) are VERY ponderous in theri speech

take time yourslef to THINK9 coutn to 10 maybe) before oyu nswer
aslo
ams alwasy inpressed by folk who admit "no i coldnt see him when he hit him"
thenc ontinue" but i have every good reason to think ti wwas him as he was int he right place at the time"
dont worry abtou admittign what oyu DONT knwo

helsp establish credibility imfo

cat me if oyu like

Like everyone says, the prosecutor and defence lawyer don't necessarily believe or disbelieve you personally, they're just using the information they have to try to get the outcome they want.
If they try to paint the issues are something they're not, like cod says, just calmly say I disagree or whatever and let me get on with it.
You can cat me if you need to talk more off here.
Scooter x

i find it hard to get my head round being disbelieved scooter

As would I. I hope this isn't stressing you out even more!

have got myself CAT facility

ANYONE welcome to offer adice as there is bollocks all coming from elsewhere

Have catted you

NOA, have been to Bradford CC a few times.
One of the times the accused wore skin tight white jeans, a sleeveless top with slashes across it so you could see her bra (which had obviously gone grey and should be white) and high heeled porn sandals.

Thats quite tame really. Have seen far worse.

NaO - don't think of it as being bellieved. You will be believed. That is different from whether, despite your believed testimony, the case can be proven. What you say can be added to that case...but it is about proof, not whether you are believed.

One of my friends is a barrister and does legal aid defence work, so he sometimes has to defend people accused of rape. Despite his role in the proceedings, he told me that he had never seen a rape victimn in court that he had not believed. . the failings to convict are not due to disbelieving witnesses and / or victims, I think.

You can tell the truth, no more no less. Don't wory about anything else.

NaO - can I ask...I have been fretting about you and your holiday and your DH not being able to get cover...what happened? Did you get a hol? (sounds like you need one...)

thanks for that Blu!

we did get cover of sorts yes thankyou - although the vet seemed a little out of their depth!

we are again struggling to get locum for the court case!

Phew!
Good luck with getting another locum.

If you don't understand a question - say so, or ask them to repeat it.

Direct your answers to the judge. I've heard someone advise standing with your feet at a 10 to 2 position - one towards the judge, one towards the barrister. So your body is slightly angled towards the judge. That's if it's in a traditional courtroom - don't know what sort of court you're going to be in.

Don't burble. They'll ask further questions if they need to.

It's not personal - the system is designed to be adversarial.