Witness Guide for Deposition or Court (Paperback)

~ Charlotte Hardwick (Author) "Why Me, why do I have to testify?..." (more)
Key Phrases: stealth witness, attorney for the side, positive halo effect, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Supreme Court, Fifth Amendment (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dan Poynter author of The Expect Witness Handbook Going to testify at deposition or at trail can be frightening. A few people rise to the challenge but most shrink from it. The court and players are intentionally intimidating. It is their game and you are an observer rather than a player. It has been said that people can be divided into three groups: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder, what happened? The adversary system of justice is a team sport made up of three sets of participants: Those who make things happen: the judge and the opposing attorneys. Those who watch things happen: the bailiff, stenographer, clerk of the court, jury, gallery, and witness. Those who wonder what happened : the plaintiff and defendant who are paying for it all: who must live with the outcome. You may be in group two or three. This easy-to-read guide will take you by the hand, step-by-step, through the mysterious judicial process. The reading is interesting, entertaining and fun. You will learn so much about the judicial system that your deposition or court appearance will be anticlimactic. You will have a sense of deja vu (been there before). This is because this book tells you all of the challenges you might run into and you will not have to face them all. Lawyers and judges go to school to learn the judicial game. You have this book. Good reading, good learning and good luck. -- Publisher Comments --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

Witness Guide will help with any kind of case:

Domestic - Traffic - Civil - Criminal

If you have been asked by a friend to testify, served with a subpoena, or have initiated a lawsuit; this small book will make all the difference in the world.

Witnesses' Guide is an inexpensive, sensible way to avoid the most common major mistakes witnesses make when they give testimony in the U.S. or Canada. A copy of Witnesses' Guide should be given to each person headed for the witness stand.

The problem is how to tell our side of the story to strangers when we know how difficult just getting our family and friends to understand what we are trying to tell them. The thought of a hostile attorney firing trick questions at us in front of a crowded courtroom causes terror in the bravest.

Our problems are further aggravated if the outcome of our case depends heavily on the testimony of other witnesses. Our strongest supporters can turn into our worst legal night mare in a matter of minutes under the skilled questioning of the opposition s attorney. A marginal witness with important testimony could destroy your entire case. A negative legal decision can alter the rest of our lives or be a matter of enormous amounts of money.

Big corporations employ skilled seasoned professionals who spend many hours and a great deal of money preparing their witnesses for deposition and court in order to minimize potential damage and maximize their witnesses testimony. Most of us do not have the experience in court or the vast resources of the these companies.

The average pre-appearance interview time an attorney spends with a witness before testimony is less than an hour. There is virtually no actual `witness testimony preparation' time before most appearances. Consequently a witness without proper understanding and expectation is subject to fear and surprise which will prevent the witness from doing a proper job. Even the most dedicated attorney cannot completely prepare you and each of your witnesses for this important experience. Since you have the most to gain or lose you must make sure you and your witnesses produce the results you need.

This book explains why and how to prepare as well as many valuable tips allows a witness to concentrate on the effects of their behavior and testimony before and during their appearance. Understanding of how ones answers fit into the complicated puzzle of a court case prepares a witness to be powerful and persuasive. This book gives the witness an insight into a process that would otherwise leave many wondering what happened even after they have been through the process. Illuminating the strategies, tactics and techniques used by opposing counsel will help the witness avoid being an easy target.

Professionals report this inexpensive book is the most comprehensive overview of theory and practical application available offering a realistic easy to understand introduction to the world of court for the uninitiated.

Foreword by Dan Poynter

Mr. Poynter is an expert witness in parachute design and skydiving practice. Of his 27 books, seven are on parachutes and skydiving and he has worked as an expert on scores of cases and has testified numerous times in the past 15 years.

Mr. Poynter highly recommends "Witnesses' Guide to Testifying for Deposition or Court" for the lay person facing these daunting tasks.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Pale Horse Pub (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587470071
• ISBN-13: 978-1587470073
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,684,802 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "art" of testifying., July 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Witness Guide for Deposition or Court (Paperback)

In the "Witness Guide", author C. Hardwick has written an invaluable manual on the "art" of testifying. With practical advice on clothing, appearance, demeanor and behavior, the Guide covers the subject comprehensively, something we've come to expect from the author, who has also written "Win Your Custody War", the "bible" of custody battle advice and guidance.

With 17 chapters, the Guide covers everything from "What Is A Witness?" to "Perjury" and "Deposition", to name just a few. Since the Guide is written in a semi-formal tone, it's easy to read and understand. Author Hardwick explains everything in plain language with plenty of examples.

The Guide covers common "traps" that the opposing attorney may set for you, including an explanation of how the trap works, why its use may be improper, and some good sample responses to these traps. Understanding this section will give you a powerful advantage in court. The opposing counsel won't be able to intimidate you (something they count on), and this all by itself will throw them off balance.

An excellent book to give to anyone who may have to testify for you. We also found the material in the Guide to be slightly more detailed than the material in "Win Your Custody War".

The Guide has a fifty-one page Glossary that describes and defines many legal terms relevant to court proceedings. You can actually get quite an education just by reading the Glossary. As with the rest of the Guide, the Glossary is written for the layman and keeps legal jargon to a minimum.

Based on price as well as content, we rate the Witness Guide as a 5-star resource (on a scale of 1 to service to it's members, and is not affiliated with the authors or Pale Horse Publishing. The FRTC site receives no compensation of any type for producing this review, and does not receive any compensation for sales of the book.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I bought it on an Amazon recommendation!, April 11, 2002

By	Jodi Lincon (Firebird Lake, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Witness Guide for Deposition or Court (Paperback)

...I find her research and insight to be valuable. I highly recommend this book for anyone facing testimony, deposition or any kind of court case. I bought it for my child custody case and ended up using it for going to court for my employer. Good book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Important Birthday Gift I Got This Year., February 15, 2003

By	"dadof4sons" (Modesto, CA United States) - See all my reviews

When asked what I wanted, I would say there isn't anything I need. With the stress of family court facing me I couldn't enjoy even my birthday. My best friend came through again. The copy of 'Witness Guide' he gave me as a gift has eased the burden considerably. Easy to read with sound advice. I needed it for my child custody case and ended up using it for a company deposition. I highly recommend this book.