How to Make a Good Courtroom Impression

When it comes to being in the courtroom for any reason, the impression you make is important. The other people in the courtroom, including the judge, are going to form an impression about you within just a few seconds. They’re going to base this on how you carry yourself, what you wear, and the general mannerisms you use.

According to law firm Zavodnick, Zavodnick, and Lasky, studies show we form a first impression of someone within seven seconds of meeting them.

You want to make a good impression because it can help things turn out more favorably for you, and the following are some things to remember to ensure that you come off in a positive light.

Your Clothes

You may not think you should be judged on the clothes you wear, but the reality is that you are every day, and there’s no exception when you’re in the courtroom. When you have a court date, or you appear in court for any reason, you want to dress as if you’re going to a job interview in a corporate office.

Avoid inappropriate clothing items such as:

• Jeans
• Shorts
• Tank tops
• Tops without sleeves
• T-shirts
• Hoodies
• Crop tops
• Yoga pants or workout clothes
• Sundresses

You don’t want to wear clothes that contain any kind of message, and it’s best to go with simple, plain articles of clothing.

Your footwear should be clean, conservative and simple. Skip the open-toed shoes, sneakers, and flip-flops for example. Simplicity should be the goal with accessories too. Keep jewelry to a minimum, and if you have tattoos or piercings, you may want to cover them.

If you have a suit, wear that to court. If you don’t have a suit, think about wearing dress pants, or a blouse or buttoned shirt. You can also wear something like a skirt or dress if it’s simple and comes to the knee. Even if you’re going to be serving on a jury, there may be a dress code you need to adhere to.

Be On-Time

It’s important that you’re on time for any court date or appearance. If possible, being early is even better. Rushing in at the last minute is not going to look good on your part.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure you’re in the courthouse at least 15 minutes before the start of your hearing. No judge wants to be kept waiting.

Turn Off Electronics

Having your cell phone ring during a courtroom appearance is going to make a judge angry automatically, so make sure everything is silenced or turned off as soon as you arrive at the courthouse.

Maintain Control Over Your Emotions

Court can bring out your strongest emotions, but don’t let them get the best of you. You need to remain calm and in control of your emotions at all times, even if someone says something about you that you feel is a lie.

If you’re worried about coming off as defensive or hostile, try to practice controlling yourself through grounding or breathing exercises before your court date. Work on managing your facial expressions a well. Keep a neutral facial expression rather than appearing angry and hostile. Along with trying not to show anger, hostility or frustration, be patient and don’t interrupt others when they’re speaking, no matter how egregious you might feel they’re being.

Be Respectful Toward the Judge

It should be common knowledge that you should be respectful to the judge, but again, it’s easy during a difficult time to let your emotions get the best of you. If that happens, it can be extremely detrimental to your case, particularly if you’re directing your anger or disrespect toward the judge.

As well as being respectful to the judge, be respectful to the judge’s staff, and be respectful to the opposing counsel even if they’re asking difficult questions.

Learn the Specific Rules of the Court

Every court and also every judge are going to have their own set of rules. You can ask the court clerk for more information about what’s expected of you and your behavior. If you have a lawyer, he or she should also be able to help you in this area.

Generally, in the courtroom, you need permission to go beyond a certain point and move toward a jury or judge. As an example, if you’re just in court as a witness, you can’t leave the witness box if you don’t have permission.

If you’re sitting with your lawyer at the defense table, you can’t go forward without permission. The judge has to be addressed as “Your Honor,” as well. When you talk to your lawyer, you should do so as quietly as possible, and even better than that, try to write notes to your lawyer if you need to.

Don’t Talk Too Much

When you’re asked a question, take a deep breath and calm yourself before responding. Then get to the point. You want to say what needs to be said without going into too many details or getting sidetracked.

Along with being brief and to the point, try not to be too animated when you speak. Try to avoid using your hands, and instead keep them folded in your lap.Positive body language can include not crossing your arms and not looking down when you speak. Sit up straight rather than slouching.

Sometimes it might be natural to be animated when you’re speaking, maybe because it’s how you see courtroom scenarios play out on television or simply because your adrenaline is running high but try to keep things as dialed down as possible.

Finally, avoid smiling too much. While you might think you’re coming across as friendly, in reality, you might be coming off as thinking everything happening in the courtroom is some kind of joke.

How you appear in the courtroom and how you behave can have a significant impact on how you’re perceived and the outcome of the situation you’re facing.