Qui Tam Practices & What Courtroom Etiquette Entails

By Bob Oliver


To say that first impressions matter would be an understatement. Let's say that you are appointed to attend a particular courtroom session, whether it's as a member of the jury, a defendant, or what have you. Etiquette will account for a lot, which I'm sure anyone who's familiar with qui tam services will be able to attest to. However, to better understand how to carry out this form of etiquette, here are a few points of interest to make note of.

First of all, make sure that you are on time for your scheduled courtroom date. Companies such as Whistleblowers Against Fraud can attest to this, seeing as how different expenses go into a particular date. Not only does everyone from the judge to the jury attend, but the courtroom itself has its own set of costs to account for. Timeliness matters, whether it's in regards to qui tam lawsuits or what have you, so make sure that you are on time.

Regardless of how your emotional state may be, at any given moment, professionalism matters. When you're being asked a series of questions, you have to be able to give as many clear responses as possible. More importantly than that, though, you must be honest with every answer you give. If you treat others the way that you would like to be treated, as cliche a statement as this may be, chances are that you'll be able to handle yourself better in the courtroom.

When someone else is speaking, you must let that individual finish before you offer a response. It's very easy to be reactionary, offering your own thoughts without letting said individual conclude with their speech. Not only is interrupting someone unprofessional, especially in a courtroom setting, but it's unlikely that you will appear favorable in the eyes of the judge. With this in mind, if you wait until the end to offer a rebuttal, you'll be better off.

Keep in mind, though, that these are just a few ways in which courtroom etiquette can be exercised. You may not want to be in this particular environment, but this doesn't change the fact that professionalism is essential. When you handle yourself well in this particular setting, you are able to exhibit a greater level of confidence than you would have otherwise. Needless to say, no one should overlook etiquette in any courtroom scenario.




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