Courtroom Decorum

COURTROOM

DECORUM

&

LEGAL

ETIQUETTE

Courtroom Decorum

Legal Etiquette

BE

COURTEOus and RESPECTFUL

TO ONE ANOTHER

PUT YOUR BEST FORWARD

ETIQUETTE

How to behave in and for the courtroom

FIRST IMPRESSION COUNTS AND ONE OF THE THINGS

"THAT COME NOT BACK"

IS A CODE OF BEHAVIOR THAT DELINEATES EXPECATTIONS FOR SOCIAL BEHAVIOR ACCORDING TO CONTEMPORARY NORMS WITHIN A SOCIETY, SOCIAL CLASS OR GROUP

(Opposite Councel and to the court)

Court Dress

NO EATING

RECESS!!!!

Rule of Thumb

DON'T

dress professionally by sticking to

COURT is

NOT

Tight and Open Clothes

STANDARD BUSINESS ATTIRE

Overly Large or Noisy Jewelry

Open-toed shoes or sandals

Barong tagalog or Coat and Tie

Untidy and Outlandish Hairstyles

Formal dress

Eccentric Make-up

FASHION

PARADE

NO CHEWING

BEFORE RECESS

AFTER RECESS

THE JUDGE RE-ENTER

CLERK STANDS:

THIS COURT IS NOW IN RECESS

a sign of weakness or subordination

WHILE EVERYONE REMAINS SEATED EXCEPT THE CLERK

AND THEN SEATED WHILE EVERYONE REMAIN SEATED

ORDER

CLERK:

WHILE EVERYONE REMAIN SEATED

THE JUDGE RESUMES SITTING

THE JUDGE RETIRES

CLERK:

THE COURT IS NOW IN SESSION

AND THEN SEATED

Cordial Greeting

BAD AND WRONG

IMPRESSION

Joking Each other

Other indication of intimacy

NO DRINKING

YOUR HONOUR!!!!

SEEK PERMISSION OF THE COURT IF YOU WISH OR YOUR CLIENT TO HAVE A THROAT SOOTER OR MEDICATION

=

CHEWING WITHIN THE COURTROOM

RUDE OR IMPOLITE

BE PUNCTUAL!!!

SILENCE!!!!

PREPARE!!!

CLIENT AND WITNESS

TO ADDRESS THE COURT

COUNSEL

TO DRESS FOR COURT

ON HOW TO BEHAVE IN COURT

timeliness

SWITCH OFF YOUR

is the basic courtesy

DO NOT KEEP OTHERS WAITING,

WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION

KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENTS

COURTROOM DECORUM

AND LEGAL ETIQUETTE

IN CASE OF

UNAVOIDABLY LATE OR DETAIN

YOUR AUDIENCE

REMEMBER

contact the person and offer an apology and explanation for your tardiness

MOVE FILES AND PAPERS QUIETLY

ARRIVED

IS MORE THAN JUST GOOD MANNER UNDERPINNED BY PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND RULES OF CONDUCT

minutes early.....

JUDGE

THE

CAN

THEREFORE

USE APPROPRIATE

TONE, PACE, AND VOLUME

IN PRESENTING ARGUMENT WHILE REMAINING SILENT FOR OATH OR AFFIRMATION

BE POLITE

AND

DO NOT INTERRUPT OR

SPEAK OVER OTHERS

STAND

WHEN ADDRESSING THE JUDGE

AND ADDRESS THE JUDGE WITH

" YOUR HONOUR"

AVOID ADDRESSING THE COURT IN THE SECOND PERSON

REMAIN RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS WITH POISE AND GRACE AT ALL TIMES

ACCEPT RULINGS RESPECTFULLY EVEN IF NOT RECIPROCATED

FRAME REQUEST OR QUESTIONS TO THE JUDE INDIRECTLY WHILE DIRECT ALL REMARKS TO THE BENCH

THE ART OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

BE HONOURABLE, CANDID AND TRUSTWORTHY WITH YOUR OPPONENT

SHOW THE DOCUMENT TO THE OPPOSING COUNSEL FIRST BEFORE THE WITNESS

DON'T ENTER THE ARENA AND FIGHT OUT YOUR CLIENTS BATTLE

FOLLOW A LOGICAL SEQUENCE

NEVER EVER PACK UP!!! REMAIN UNTIL EXCUSED

DO NOT QUESTION WITNESS TO SEX CRIME VICTIMS TO UNDULY ANNOY, HARASS, AND INTIMIDATE THAT CAUSE MISLEADING OR CONFUSION

DO NOT PERSIST IF THE CLIENT DENIES THE PARTICULAR ACT BEING PUT TO HIM/HER

ALWAYS BE RELEVANT

NEVER CROSS-EXAMINE CROSSLY

DON'T USE BULLYING TACTICS

AVOID SARCASM

IT IS CRITICAL TO YOUR REPUTATION, RESPECT AND GOOD STANDING

EVERYONE

SOURCES

http://lawassociationtt.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/A-Practice-guide-to-Legal-Etiquette&Decorum.pdf

http://www.gov.pe.ca/courts/supreme/PracticeNote2.pdf

Antiquira, E. C., 2018. COMMENTS ON LEGAL AND JUDICIAL ETHICS. Manila: Rex Bookstore.

OUTSIDE COURT

PUBLIC COMMENTS DISPARAGINGLY A JUDGE

DISPARAGING REMARKS ABOUT YOUR OPPONENT

ADDRESSING A JUDGE AS "JUDGE"

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR OPPONENT PROPERLY

PUBLICLY DISCUSSING CLIENT'S CASE