How Do You Give An Effective Opening Statement At Trial?
You may be headed to Small Claims Court with a matter where you are representing yourself. At the start of every trial, each party is given the opportunity to make an opening statement. Many litigants get this confused with telling their side of the story. An opening statement is where you would stand up and tell the judge why you are making the claim you are making, why you believe someone owes you money or why you believe that you do not owe what is alleged. You list only facts and do not go into the merits of the claim. Here are a few guidelines to follow so that you can give an effective opening statement. Step 1 Find out what an opening statement is by reading the court procedures or by getting legal advice. Step 2 Be prepared. Write down all your points ahead of time so that you can tell them to the judge in a chronological order. You shouldn’t read them, but you can use them as a reference in case you get nervous and forget what you should say. You might say something like, “I b
