I'm going to Court soon and I am impossibly shy. How do I cope on the stand?

All I can do is offer sympathy and support. When my mother was prosecuted for assaulting me, I was able to have the district attorney enter my statement on my behalf, so I did not have to attend Court.

I have an iPhone app that I often listen to when I am especially anxious. It’s a hypnosis app. I use it when I am dealing with something extremely stressful and out of my control, especially when it keeps me awake at night. It almost always gets me in a place where I can sleep.

The only thing that I can think of is to try to anticipate the types of questions that will be asked and practice what you will say. Do not try to memorize what you will say, because that will come across as not being spontaneous. Just get to the point where you are comfortable answering the questions. Maybe you could have someone close to you take the part of the DA or the attacker’s lawyer.

Can you enlist a friend to ask questions and help you practice? And have that friend in court for support?

I’ve been to court but we don’t have the gowns and wigs in the US. I understand how that makes it a bit tougher.

I’m so very sorry this happened to you. I admire your being able to go and face this horrid person. You are very strong for doing so.
I was thinking, would you be able to speak with the person who is prosecuting the person? Would you be able to contact them just to say that the situation is a bit out of the ordinary and nerves are a concern? I would try if you could.
You may surprise yourself. Once you start telling what happened to you, you may concentrate on that and any hesitations may just fade away.
You are going to be fine. Why not plan some kind of ‘treat’ afterwards? Go have a spa-type massage. Or go see a movie. Something to mark the end, and all the positive you just did towards stopping this person.
Good for you! Take good care~ :)

I have problems controlling my nerves. Here’s what I would do just prior to going to court:

-Get plenty of sleep.
-Eat a very light breakfast.
-Lay off the caffeine/tobacco.
-Try to get in at least a medium effort workout (gym or perhaps a jog). Or maybe walk briskly up and down stairs at the court house until you are breathing hard.

Good luck to you!

Do your best. I am sure lots of people are intimidated by the gravity and trappings of the court. At least you won’t be alone.

I used to be very shy – not so much any more. But the thought of testifying in court scares me as well. I face the possibility in a car accident suit some years ago and was horribly anxious about it.

One thing you can tell yourself is, unlike acting in a play, it does not matter if your anxiety shows. taht will not damage your testimony at all; in fact, it might strengthen your case. The other thing I would suggest is if you have some time, try taking a Xanax pill or half a one when you are anxious about it. It might help to take the edge off. But if it makes you drowsy, don’t use it of course.

Good luck!

Since you will be appearing as a witness for the prosecution, it is very likely that you’ll be called in to the prosecutor’s office (or they could schedule a visit to your home, perhaps) to go over the questions and answers. As it is often said “a good lawyer never asks questions that he does not know the answers to”, so “prepping the witness” (i.e. “These are the things we plan to ask you. Can you tell us what your response will be, please?”) is a time-honored – and perfectly ethical! – process. They want to be reasonably certain – beyond your initial complaint records – of what your testimony will be. For example, they will want you to say things that you know to be true with a certain degree of conviction, so they may even help – not by putting words in your mouth! – but to coach you on how your testimony can be more effective, and no less true than it was on the day that you made your complaint.

If you explain your nervousness to the prosecutor then they will take extra precautions to be sure that you’re as comfortable as you can be.

Of course, the defense attorneys will attempt to discredit or deny your testimony – if they have any questions for you – so the best advice I can give you for them is to listen carefully to the question, consider your response equally carefully, take a deep breath before you begin speaking, and answer with as much conviction as you can.

Your shyness could be interpreted as a serious demeanor and great respect for the court and its proceedings. You may come across very well.