Top Tips For Beating DUI Charges

The opening statement, which takes place at the beginning of a trial, is one of the most powerful tools a defendant can use during a criminal trial. Below is an overview of the purpose of opening statements and how you can strengthen your opening statement.

Purpose

The opening statement serves multiple purposes, but these are the most critical.

Case Introduction

You use the opening statement to introduce the jury to the case. Don't forget that the jurors are just ordinary people who have no prior interaction with the defendant, prosecution, witnesses, or other people related to the case. You need to make them aware of the case at hand before the trial properly begins.

Juror Captivation

The opening statement also helps you to capture the attention of the jurors. Courtroom procedures can be pretty boring for some people. Many people also serve as jurors simply because they can't get away from their jury duties. This means it is not a given that all the jurors will be paying attention to your case during the trial. Unfortunately, the jurors can't agree with you if they don't listen to your story. The best way to ensure they will listen to you throughout the trial is to captivate them from the start.

Tips

There is no strict outline or best way to conduct an opening statement. However, experienced lawyers have a few tricks that they use. Here are a few techniques experienced defenders use to strengthen their opening statements.

No Details

As previously mentioned, the opening statement is an introduction to trial. Therefore, this is not the time to go into details of the case; the details will come in later. For the opening statement, a general outline of the case is sufficient. You only need to tell the court a brief overview of what you plan to tell them during the trial.

Storytelling

A good opening statement should be a story. The delivery should be similar to what a storyteller would do in a campfire setting. You want the listeners to sit on the edge of their seats and hang onto every word you say.

Persuasive

Lastly, your opening statement should also be persuasive. Remember, the goal of the trial is to persuade the juror or judge to agree with your side of the story. As the defendant, the jury or judge should believe that you are innocent at the end of the trial. The persuasion starts right at the beginning of the trial.

As you can see, trying a criminal case is not easy. It is easy to make a mistake right from the beginning – with the opening statement. A good criminal defense lawyer can help you get everything right from the start.

To learn more, contact a criminal defense attorney.

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