Judges daily watch attorneys at work and often provide helpful critiques of their performance. Over the past several years, The Recorder has asked numerous Bay Area judges to give advice to practicing attorneys on how to best present themselves and their case before a jury. Here’s what advice they had to offer on best practices in voir dire, opening statements and closing arguments.
VOIR DIRE
"It surprises me how often attorneys will not bother to take notes on how somebody pronounces his or her name. This is a very culturally diverse area. You’re not always going to get a Smith, a Jones or a Garcia. If people pronounce their names in a certain way, listen to the way they pronounce it and use that pronunciation. I’ve heard attorneys say, ‘Juror No. 6, what was your name again?’ These are the most important people in your world, could you treat them with some respect?"
Judge Michele McKay McCoy, Santa Clara County Superior Court
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