A defendant's subsequent willingness to answer questions after acknowledging his Miranda rights is sufficient to constitute an implied waiver. The Ten Pillars of Successful Courtroom Testimony - Captain Stephen W. Cogar, Esq. 1. A lawyer can deal with almost any situation except having one of his or her witnesses caught in a lie. Even if you think the fact that you are revealing will hurt the case, it is still not a reason to lie. If you are convicted of these crimes or your department sustains a similar charge during an internal investigation, the law allows for defense attorneys to use this information to impeach your testimony.
Complete preparation is the key to feeling confident as a witness.
Testimony is like taking a test in school, your level of anxiety will rise if you haven t studied. Also avoid distractive physical mannerisms such as picking your nose, scratching your neck, wringing your hands, licking your lips, swiveling in your chair, etc. 3. Judges, jurors, and lawyers expect and desire answers that are responsive to the question asked. Importantly, though, there is nothing wrong with considering your answer before you give it. Unless the answer is obvious, you should take a moment to reflect on your response before answering.