Valuable Tips on Courtroom Etiquette From a Judge
Posted on May 10, 2010 9:10am PDT
When in the courtroom trying to get the judge to hear your side of the story regarding your divorce, observing courtroom etiquette is important.
Here are a few tips to be aware of that can make a difference in how your case is viewed. Judge Roderic Duncan, who has presided over thousands of divorce cases in the past 20 years, is the source of these valuable tips.
- Do not argue with your spouse in the courtroom. This will damage the strength of your presentation. When referring to your spouse, use his or her last name such as “Mr. Douglas” or "Ms. Roberts" and speak respectfully, even if you happen to be discussing inappropriate conduct on the other person’s part.
When presenting a document to the judge, hand the item to the clerk and say,”please mark this item as an exhibit.” He will at this point take it and put a number or letter on it stating “Exhibit 2” then hand it back to you.
Identify the item for the judge when you want to present it saying something like, "Your Honor, Exhibit 2 is the pay stub from my work for the last two weeks.”
You would then say, “I move that this item be admitted as evidence.”
If the judge accepts it he will say “granted," but if he denies it he will say denied. If you were not given an explanation for the denial, you can politely ask for an explanation as to why it was denied.
If you are considering a divorce, it’s important to ensure it is done correctly. Be sure to contact a divorce lawyer or family law attorney who is experienced and can help you through the process.