The Clinton County Victim-Witness Assistance
Service
acts as a liaison between crime victims and witnesses,
and the criminal justice system.
WITNESS HOTLINE
989-224-5279
If you have been subpoenaed,
Hotline is to confirm if you need to appear for court.
If you have to testify...
Frequently Asked Questions
Being called to testify may not be convenient. Your patience
and cooperation make the criminal justice system work.
If you have been served with a subpoena on behalf of this office,
call the phone numbers listed above after 5:00 p.m. the evening
before the date you are to appear in court. A tape recording
will announce if witnesses are still needed in court the following
day on your case.
This information could help you avoid an unnecessary trip to
the Courthouse. Our hotline has been a very successful tool for
thousands of witnesses avoiding unnecessary court appearances
each year.
IF YOU HAVE TO TESTIFY ...
-
Tell the truth! This is the single most important advice any witness should
remember.
Dress neatly! A neat appearance and proper dress in court give an important
first, and lasting, impression.
-
Conduct yourself in a dignified manner! The trial of a criminal
case is a serious matter.
-
Be prepared! You should know days or weeks ahead of time that
you will be testifying in court. Think about the incident and
what happened so that you can recall the details accurately when
you are asked in court. If you need help remembering these details,
write the facts down. If you have already written a statement
for the police, ask the Assistant Prosecutor for a copy; reading
it may jog your memory on some details. Think ahead of time about
the answers you will give to the questions you expect will be
asked.
-
Do not try to memorize what you will say
in court. Jurors are
hesitant to believe testimony that sounds "scripted".
Also, the lawyers' questions may not coincide with your
expected answers.
-
Stick to the facts! The Judge or jury only wants to hear the
facts as you know them to be, not what someone else told you.
-
Relax ... speak clearly! You have nothing to fear when giving
true answers. When you are asked questions, give your answer
as clearly as possible.
-
Expect to be questioned by several people. One of the basic
rules in a criminal case is that both sides have a chance to
question every witness. Questions asked by both sides have the
same goal --- to find out what is true.
-
Do not lose your temper. Be courteous. Don't let the defense
lawyer upset you. It may seem at times that he is trying to pin
you down, but he has the right to test how many of the facts
you know and accurately remember.
-
Don't start to answer a question until
the question is finished. If you haven't yet heard
the entire question, you don't really know what you're being
asked. Don't "jump the gun" by
answering what you think the question will be (when it is finished).
-
Think about your answer before you give
it. Your every word
counts. Be descriptive. Be accurate. Vague or inconsistent responses
give other people a chance to (mis)interpret what you meant your
answer to be.
-
Answer all questions to the point. If the question calls for
a short answer, give a short answer; if you need to explain,
explain.
-
Answer only the question asked. Do not volunteer additional
information.
-
Don't exaggerate or guess! If you don't know the answer to
a question, say so --- If you don't remember the information
that you are asked about, say so.
-
Answer the questions verbally. Your
testimony is being recorded (either tape recorded or written
down). No head shakes or head
nods, or "uh-huh" / "uh-uh" instead of saying "yes" / "no"!
-
Look at the jurors and speak to them when
testifying. Jurors
are ordinary people, like yourself. They consider attitude, facial
expressions, and body language when evaluating testimony.
-
If you don't understand or didn't hear the question, ask that
it be explained or repeated.
-
If your answer was not correctly stated, correct it immediately.
-
Never attempt to talk to a juror about the case or any other
matter while the case is being tried. This includes chance meetings
during recesses, in hallways, at lunch, or any other place.
-
If either lawyer raises an objection, stop speaking at once!
After the Judge has ruled, you will be instructed whether to
continue.
-
The Prosecuting Attorney's Office will assist you with any
questions you may have prior to your court appearance.
