The Articulate Witness: An Illustrated Guide to Testifying Confidently Under Oath

by Marsha Hunter, Brian K Johnson, Barbara J. Richied (Illustrator)

Every day in the United States, ordinary people are called to testify in court. Most of them have never been involved in a legal proceeding. But they have probably seen witnesses in high-profile trials on television, being harshly cross examined, looking nervous or anxious—perhaps even humiliated. The thought of testifying can be scary. Being subpoenaed can lead to weeks or months of anxiety until the day arrives when they raise their right hand and swear to tell the truth. This book is for them. Whether testifying at a trial, arbitration, or deposition, this book will help witnesses get ready for the experience. Easy-to-follow, illustrated tips prepare them to be a more compelling witness. The book contains answers to common questions, such as: What can I expect when I testify? How can I be a prepared and trustworthy witness? What is the key to calming my nerves? What questions should I ask the lawyer who called me? How do I keep my emotions in check? Can I channel my nervous energy into something positive? and How can I prevent getting flustered while testifying? Distinguished trial advocacy instructors who have been teaching lawyers to be self-assured communicators for 35 years now employ their techniques to help people who find themselves in the witness chair.

Genres: Law

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2015

About the author

Legal communication coach Marsha Hunter teaches persuasion for trial lawyers and public speaking for corporate attorneys. She works exclusively with lawyers. Her specialty is human factors—the science of human performance in high-stakes environments. Hunter's expertise in cognition and communication focuses on how people think, speak, feel, and act in dynamic situations. Her teaching is both technical and practical, drawing on techniques from sports psychology, linguistics, and cognitive science.
Three times each year, Hunter is the program director for The Articulate Advocate: Becoming More Fluent on Your Feet, a two-day intensive courtroom communication skills program, at NITA's National Education Center in Boulder, Colorado. Ms. Hunter is the communication specialist for NITA's collaborative programs with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women, and teaches at three regional trial skills programs annually for NITA. She trains at the Department of Justice's National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. She has served on preparation teams for lawyers appearing in multiple cases before the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, and taught advocacy programs for the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Law Society of Northern Ireland, and the Tasmanian Law Society. Her in-house clients include firms that occupy the top 10, 50, and 100 in annual lists, and half of the Wall Street Journal's "fearsome foursome" of litigation.
Hunter has published articles in many legal publications, including the American Bar Association Section of Litigation's The Woman Advocate and the Texas Bar Journal.
Johnson and Hunter are co-authors of The Articulate Advocate: New Techniques of Persuasion for Trial Lawyers (Crown King Books, 2009), a 2010 Silver Medal winner in the Benjamin Franklin Awards from the Independent Book Publishers Association, and The Articulate Attorney: Public Speaking for Lawyers (Crown King Books, 2010, 2013), and The Articulate Witness: An Illustrated Guide to Testifying Confidently Under Oath.

Reviews

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goodreads first read.

I think this book, even though targeted at someone being a witness for the first time, would be good to review in any situation where you may feel nervous and unsure how to react. Some points made could be beneficial in scenarios such as job interviews. Super quick read, took me about 15 minutes to read it straight through. The intro though suggests you take the time to put it down and complete the exercises that are presented.

[Jerry Yoakum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read and practice exercises are nice. Not nearly enough for a truly stressful interview but a great start.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lawyer, I think this book should be in every litigator's office to give to anyone they expect to testify in trial. Many witnesses are not prepared and this book covers everything they should know. Kudos to Brian Johnson and Marsh Hunter for writing this book.

In accordance with FTC guidelines I did receive this book as a "win" from Goodreads.