Prepare for Court

Basic, essential steps to help get you started with preparing your case for trial.

You have prepared your case. The content is ready. Now think about how you are going to present that information to the judge.

In court, it's not enough to know a fact - you have to be able to prove it.  That means you have to be able to convince a jury or a judge that the fact is most likely true.

A motion is a request asking the court to give an order that the court or another party must do something.  During a hearing or trial, you can make a motion verbally.  At any other time, you must make your motion in writing.  Your motion must say what you are asking the court to do.

Do you need help with English in order to make sure that your story is told accurately in court?
Ask the court clerk for a form or help in getting an interpreter. If the court decides that an interpreter is needed, the court will provide one.

Subpoenas are formal legal documents used in civil and criminal cases to order someone to bring documents or other physical evidence to a court proceeding, or to order someone to appear to testify at a court proceeding.   

If you are involved in a court case, you are generally not allowed to privately contact the judge about the case.

You have prepared your case, including how to present your case to the court, but what can you expect in the courtroom?