What kind of questions do attorneys ask their own witnesses in court?
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at
7:14 pm
I have to think up some questions to ask for a school assignment, but I’m confused. I’m in charge of asking our own witnesses questions, but I am not sure what to ask them.
I have to think up some questions to ask for a school assignment, but I’m confused. I’m in charge of asking our own witnesses questions, but I am not sure what to ask them.
The mock trial is about the Diet of Worms, and I’m prosecuting so I’m trying to prove Martin Luther is guilty.
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You need to ask your witnesses questions about what they have seen or heard Martin Luther do that prove he was a heretic. For example - "did you ever hear Martin Luther claim…" "Where did this take place?" "Who was there?"
You also need to ask your witnesses questions that establish that what Luther was teaching was contrary to church doctrine–"What does the church say on the subject of…", "What did you hear Luther teach".
Since Luther had put his views in writing, you should ask questions about the writing and how it establishes his guilt in the eyes of the church.
open ended questions. what happened? what happened next? where where you?
Most attorneys sit down with their clients before Court and go over the items/questions that will be discussed. Without knowing what your mock case is about, it difficult to submit questions.
They ask a lot of double negatives to try to trip up the witness