A Lawyer’s Guide: The Direct Examination
Lawyers must bear in mind that the direct examination of their witnesses must seem unrehearsed to the jury. This helps the direct examination look more sincere, credible, and convincing. To achieve this, David Serna, a lawyer, tells litigators that they must converse with their witnesses instead of expecting the answers they have already acquired before the trial. In this short blog, David Serna, a lawyer, shares some of the insights he acquired from 4 decades of practice and litigation. Preparing witnesses for the questions asked during the direct examination Although lawyers must not read their questions while conducting the direct examination of their witnesses, lawyers must make an outline of the presentation of the witnesses and the questions they want to ask each witness. This list of questions must be given to the witnesses in advance so that they know what to expect and what to answer during the trial. Some of the best lawyers write down an outline of their theo...