Difference between revisions of "Cross-Examination"
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== Closed-Ended Questions == | == Closed-Ended Questions == | ||
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| + | The goal of cross-examination is to target the prosecutor's case and to advance the defendant's theory of the case without giving the witness an opportunity to explain their answers. You want the witness to agree with your version of events, not to develop their own.Criminal defense attorneys should NEVER ask who, what, where, when, why, how, describe, and explain during cross-examination. These are words requiring explanation that you do not want to elicit during cross-examination. | ||
Closed-ended questions require the witness to answer yes, no or as briefly as possible; therefore, the criminal defender should always ask these types of questions on cross-examination. Open-ended questions are typically used during direct examination, because these allow the witness to tell their story without interruption. | Closed-ended questions require the witness to answer yes, no or as briefly as possible; therefore, the criminal defender should always ask these types of questions on cross-examination. Open-ended questions are typically used during direct examination, because these allow the witness to tell their story without interruption. | ||
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* Were you still there when the fight ended? | * Were you still there when the fight ended? | ||
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== Pitfalls of Cross-Examination == | == Pitfalls of Cross-Examination == | ||
