Chapter 1:

Hope that all your clients have such a good attitude!

There is nothing worse than representing someone that shows up to court with a bad attitude. Of course, just going to court may put a lot of people in bad moods, but for the most part people are dealing with tough times in their lives if they are involved in court proceedings. However, it is important not to bring that attitude into the court room, especially if a jury is involved.  Judges can do a better job of following the rule of law and are accustomed to dealing with different attitudes, as for Jury’s on the other hand, they bring in their own attitudes and experiences which can really make influence decisions based on emotion and empathy toward another individual. 

With this said, I am not implying you can go in front of judge with a negative attitude, judges are human too and can make a decision based on how they feel about someone. It’s best to realize early on that a composed client will receive better treatment due to the common human condition.

So, whether you represent someone in a criminal case, divorce case or a civil case it always a good idea to counsel them on the importance of showing up a with good demeanor and not a bad attitude.

Stay tuned next week for our next edition of Important Lawyer Tips.