3t

142

WITHA PURPOSE
SPEAKING

rRcuMEilTs
efiosrue
Unlike the openingstatement,the closingsummationis an argument.
Rememberthe cardinalrule:Iessis more!

\/
rt

lrgument
Gloeing
a Pensuasive
TipsForPneparing
1. Tella persuasivostory
r Reviewthe facts.What happened?
r Why did it happen?
r Who is credible?
Who shouldbe believed?
r How canwe know for surewhat is true?
r Doesthe evidencemakesense?
r Is the theorycompelling?
2. Tieup the looseendsfrom cross-examinatlon
r Leavespacein your closingargumentto makeinferencesand assert
claimsthat wereimplied during cross-examination.
r HigNight inconsistencies,
contradictions,and gapsin the logicof
opposingcounsel'stheoryof the case.
3. Dellveron your promises
r During your openingstatement,
you told thejudgeand/orjury
whatyou intendedto show,demonstrate'or prove.Now,during
your closingargument,you shouldcommenton the promisesthat
ryerekept.
4. Dealwith your weaknesse3,
r During cross-examination
opposingcounselmay
of your witnesses,
in the
contradictions,or weaknesses
haveexposedinconsistencies,
logicof your theoryof the case.Confronttheseproblemsand
resolvethem.
5. Askfor your verdictor damager
r In a criminaltrial case,confidentlyaskthejudgeand/orjury for the
verdict you seelc
r In a civil case,after you havedemonstratedliabiliry addressthe
issueof damages.
(Adaptedfrom StevenLubet,SheilaBlock,and CynthiaTape,Moilern Trial Advocacy:
145-146.)
Canada,pp.

Chapter9

MockTrials 143

Glosinglrgunent
a PersuaEiue
frps ForDelluening
Notcl You may want to visit "Languageand Voicej"'Body Language,"
and"Rwiew of Oral AdvocacySkills"on Pages
"DeliveryTechniques,"
63-T2inChapter6.

gi

Do not reador try to memorizeyour argumentword for word'

Usean oudine to organizand plan your argument.
Deliveryour argumentwith an air of spontaneity.
Beflexiblewith your closingargument.Allow spacein your outline
madeduring the trial.
to includeunexpectedstatements
r Animateyour deliverywith body movementsand gesturesfor
betweenyour case
emphasisand effect,or to contrastdifferences
counsel.
opPosing
the
of
that
and
r Useverbalheadlinesand transitionalphrasesto signalwhereyou are
goingnextandto guidethejudgeand/orjury throughyour argument
r Useenumerationto summarizerelatedpoints in your argument.

r
r
r
r

F*ample
... One... Two ... Three..."
"Therearethreereasons
I Practisespeaking.Locateyour naturaltone.Usethe voicetechniques
acrosseffectively.
of inflection,volume,and paceto getyour message
r Usesimple,persuasivelanguage.Simplelanguageis more
compellingthan elaborateandponderousphrasingthat strainsthe
attentionof your audience.Chooseactivenounsandverbsto
conveyemotion.Avoid inflammatory adectivesand adverbs.
r Usevisual aidsasappropriate.You may useany exhibit enteredinto
evidence-a document,a diagram,an item of clothing'a weaPonto illustratea keypoint in your closingargument.
(Adaptedfrom StevenLubet,SheilaBlock,and Cynthia Tape,Modon Ttial Advocacy:
Canada,pp.42l-425.\

Thlngsto AuoidDuringYourCloslnglrgunent
r Do not use a statementof your personalbeliefs as a basisfor the
verdict ofyour case.
r Do not appealto emotion or sympathy asthe basisfor the verdict The
casemust be judged on its legal merits and the evidencepresented.
r It is unethical to use inflammatory argumentsbasedon prejudice
or bigotry to persuadeor appealto the judge and/or jury.
r Do not misstatethe facts or deliberatelyemploy logical fallacies
(seeChapter 1) to jump to conclusionsor make inferencesthat the
evidencedoes not suPPort.
r When enumerating items, do not number more than six items. Most
people'sattention startswaglering after sevenitems of information.

5"t

\'

SPEAKING
WITHA PURPOSE
Notc:once you know the purposeof your role and your responsibilities,you can flip aheadto "PreparingYourcase"later in part I of this
chapterto discoverstrategieson how to analyzecritically and prepare
your argument.Part2 of this chapterprovidesmore detailedstrategies
for eachof the rolesdescribedbriefly in this section.

Qualitiet of All Good Advocater

All good advocates-both Crown and defencecounsel-have
the following qualitiesin common. Remembeta trial is a drama,
so if you're playing a lawyer,you'll want to get into character
and take on these qualities.
tr

Good advocatesare analytlcal, articulatg and confident.

They have strong advocacyskillsand alwayslisten carefully
to the argumentsof their opponents.

tr

Good advocatesact in a professionalmanner.Throughtheir

demeanour (the way they look and act) and their clothing,
they show respectfor the court and the people participating
in the trial.

tr

Good advocatesfocus on their role as an advocate.Theydon,t

take the casepersonally.Skillfullawyersfocus on the issues,
not on personallyattackingthe opponent.Theyassumea
neutral attitude and tone when presentingtheir facts to the
court.Theyavoid using emotionalor controversiallanguage.
Good advocatesdon't waste their time trying to trick the
witness.Theyfocus on the facts and the evidenceto be
effective.

tr

tr

Good advocatesare courteousand respectful.Although

everyoneis eagerto win, good lawyersconsiderthe
opposing team as their worthy opponents.Lawyeradvocatesrefer to fellow counselas',my friend."

IFYoulre the GrounGttorneg/

Prosecuton/Counsel,
...
Your purpose is to prove the guilt of the defendant or accusedbeyond a
reasonabledoubt. The defendantis presumedinnocent until proven guilty.
In a civil suit, the purpose is to show on a balanceof probabilities that the
defendant is liable or negligent.
r Critically analyzeyour case.
r Summarize the relevant legal issues.

72

SPEAK]NG
WITHA PURPOSE

Organizatlon
r Beprepared.
Knowyourstuff.
r constructa logicalargument:premiseby
premise.
r Theargumentmustbe basedon evidence,
r Sequence
and prioritizethe evidencefor
maximumimpact.
r Highlightthe mostcompellingevidence
at the endof your presentation.
r Don'tjump to conclusions
or makefaulty
assumptions.
Evocatlon:Word Choice
r Selectyour words deliberately.
r Uselanguagethat is straightforwardand
simple.
I Useactive nouns and verbs rather than
inflammatoryadjectivesand adverbs.
r Paintvisualmental imageswith your
words.
r Engageyour audience.Grabtheir
attention with your passionand sincerity.
I Command a presence.

Clarity
r Knowwhat your purposeis and
your audience'
understand
striveto be logical.Your
ideasshould
makesense'
r Speakclearlyso that you can be heard
and understood'
I Usevisualaids-photographsidiagrams,
charts,models,transparencies,
videos*
to clariffthe pointsyou'remaking'

VoiceTechniquec
r Discover
yourvoiceand embraceyour
uniqueness.
t Do notread.Makeyour delivery
|\;f
srncere
ano persuasrve.
/.sL
r Emphasize
keywordsand usea variety
of voicetechniques
to highlight
importantstatements.
r Usevariationin yourvoiceto announce,
likea headlinein a newspaper,
whenyou
aremovingon to yournextimportant
point.
r Usebody languageselectively
and
deliberately
for emphasis
and transition.
r Speakwith confidence
asthoughyou are
entitledto the outcomeyou seek.
r Paceyourdelivery.Ensurethat your
audiencehastime to hear,understand,
yourevidence.
and appreciate

Attitude: A Winning Demeanour

'1,1{itu*ie
is a ilttle tlring fhat rlrrrkes;r iSIG Jifference."
r
r
r
r
t
r
r

Be sincerebut convey confidence.

Be open-minded and intellectually flexible.
Respectyour adversaryand your audience.
Avoid personalattacks.
Be polite, patient,and courteous.
Listenactively.
Agreeto disagreeif a consensuscannot be reached.

'36
66

WITHA PURPOSE
SPEAKING
A

dffi-{f-iifriii iiiiiifFrnonrt...

Tooloud

A bully,insensitive
to others,overbearing

Softor quiet

Not sureof hisor her ideasor facts,a person

with low self-esteem

or trembling
Quavering

lndecisive,
not to be countedon or trusted

Mumbles

Nervous,
imprecise

Tooslow

Boring,dull,lazy

Toofast

lmpulsive,
sloppy,impatient,insincere

High-pitched

Adolescent,
unprofessional

Sweetand syrupy

Phony,insincere

Monotone

Depressed,
unresponsive
to ideas

5hrill

lrritating,abusive,
mean

(endinga
Questioning
sentence
with an
invisiblequestionmark)

Constantly
seekingapproval,
attention

Sarcastic

Hard-hearted,disillusioned,difficult

Jerky

Nervous,
suspicious

Nasalor twangy

A complainer,
uncooperative,
a whiner

(Adapted
"Howto MakeYourVoiceWorkfor You.")
fromMarilynBeker,

With this list in mind, become awareof your speakinghabits. How do

you sound?
r Is my deliveryrushed? disjointed, with too many"ums"?
r Is my voice audible? clear?varied? shalcy?
A good way to discover how your voice sounds is to find a quiet place
and tape-record yourself speaking.Play the tape back and listen. How would
you describeyour voice?Or aska trusted friend to listen and give you feedback.Askyour friend,"How do I sound?'
Practise and experiment. Remember, with practice you will improve.
What do you think is your best voice?

Skills
Chapter3 Questioning

$prof Qucstlon
Open-ended
questions

Purposc/WhY
r To allow a Personto answer
anyway he or shefeelsis
approPriate
. To makea personmore
relaxed
r To understandthe story of
what haPPened

Whattt SoundrLikr
what
t "Canyoudescribe
happened?a
r "Howdo Youseethings
changing?"
r "Canyou explainto me ... ?"

Narrow/closed-ended
questions

r To seeka sPecificanswer
r To clariff something

"Whenexactlydid ... ?'

"HowmanY...?'
'Whatdate...?'

Probing/inquiry
(canbe
questions
eitheroPenor closed)

r To understandmotivation
r Questions
canbe
hypothetical

"Whydid you ... ?"

"lf you could... ?
"ExplainwhY... ?"

Leadingquestions

I To proPosea fact that asl6

for agreementot validation
r Totry to pin down sPecific
details

(Note:Be careful not to sound

judgmental in Yourtone.)

(Note:Thequestlon containsthe
answeL)

Either/orquestions
(formof closed-ended
question)

31

r To offer a choicebetween
two options
(Note:TheseryPesof questionscan
be problematic ChoicesmaYbe
relative-Your idea of bald maYbe
different from someoneelset idea')

theY
r "Without Provocation,
attackedYou?'
I "Youvoted for the new
schoolregulationsre dress
code;correct?"
l "Youdldn't askher
did You?'
permission,
r "Did he havea lot of hairor
washe bald?"
r "Do you agreeor disagree?"
r "Do you wantto writethe
test now or duringYour
lunch?"

Reflectivequestiong
(canbe oPen-or
closed-ended
questions)

To mirror em4athetic
listening
To reflectobservation
or clarifo
To summarize

r "Youlook tired?"
r 'You seemagitated?'
r 'Yoursaidyou'dmeet me at
7:00p.m.nearthe front gate'
right?"

Headlinequestions

headline,
Likea newsPaPer
to focusyouraudience's
attentionon the central
issueor Problemthat needs
to be resolved

r "Thecentralissuebeing
debatedis:CanPhYsiciansuicideProtectthe
assisted
vulnerable?"
r "Thequestionis:Howmuch
will this Plancostthe
taxpaYers?"

37
32

SPEAKING
WITHA PURPOSE

Open'Ended
Questions
v

Whenyouaskanopen-ended
question,you'reinvitingthepersonto respond
anywaythat personlikes.The personansweringthe questiondecidesthe
contentand what is relevant.Open-endedquestionsinvite the speakerto
explain,elaborate,
clariff, rationalize,or justifr his or her reasoning.
Example
t "How did youlike themovie?"
r "What happenednext?"
r "Whatleadsyou to that conclusion?"
t "Canyou tell me somethingmore aboutthat?"
Somesituationswhereopen-endedquestionswouldbeeffectivearesuggestedbelow.

EFPectiveUseoPOpen-EndedQaestions
r Investigatingand gathering facts.
Example"Whatis the profit marginon that investment?"
r Getting someoneto open up and relax.
Fxample"Canyou tell me about yourselfand why you appliedfor thisjob?,,
r Clariiring information to understand a sequenceof events.
Example'After the incident,what happened?"
r Defining an issue.
Example"ls the owner liablefor damages?"
r Assessingpersonal feelingsor opinion.
Example"lf you neededa businesspartneryou could trust,whom would
you pick?"
r Understanding a person'smotive or reasoning.
Example"What makesyou think that?"

l{amou/Glosed-Ended
Questione
When you ask narrow or closed-endedquestions,you limit the answer to
specificinformation. Thesequestionsallow very little room for interpretation or elaboration and usually require short, direct answerslike "yes" or
"no." Unlike leading questions,narrow or closed-endedquestions do not
suggestthe answerin the question.
Starting with simple narrow or closed-endedquestions can boost the
confidence of the person you're questioning. The person thinks, "Hey, I
can answerthat one,"and may be more willing to cooperateasyou progress
to more complex or challenging questions.

Chapter3 QuestioningSkills

33

ExomPle
I "How old areYou?"
r "What gradeareYouin?"
r "Areyou relatedto the defendant?"
I "Did you arrivebefore12noon?"
. "W.r. you with him during the break-in?"

Probing/lnquirgQuestions

you figureout an issueor providedirecProbingor inquiry questionshelp

next'Probingquestionsusuallybegin
tion on whattopi" o' qo"stionto ask
tt"u *t"iittg' or mock trial' probwith the *ord "*hy"l;;;;;t;i"*"
in your opponent'sposition'Primary
ing question,.ur, '""'J weaknesses
follow up
of discussion;sicinilary questions
uP
questionsoPen
"*""'
on the Primaryquestion'
ExamPle
I "'Wheredid you getthat evidence'from?"
?"
r "Why do you feel so strongly about " '
r "'WhYshould I believeYou?"
I "Do you think my answeris reasonable?"
t "Wh; do you think you failed the test?"

LeadingQuestlons

leadingq"-ttt-t"l controlthedirecLiketakinga dogfor a walk on a leash'

The shorieitheleash,the lesschancea
tion andthe lengthJ;i;;;rp"nse.
or yes/noanswer.Leadingquestions
personhasto escaped;;il"/f"lse
challengingor refuting your
ilrgtuy .ffe"tiue-and dramatic in
i""t.
and
Do your research'
nut bePrePared'
opponent'sstut"m.,'t oi "igo"'t"t'
care
don't
you
to-unless
k"ow the answer
neveraska questrony;;;;{
what the answeris!
to confirm or denythe truth of the
Leadingquestionsdirectthe person
Theyusuallyaskfor a "yes"or "no"
statementcontained; th" qott'io"'
answer.
ExamPle
the reasonyou didn t show
r "Isn't it true that you sleptin andthat is
uP to write the test?"
l..Youhadatleastfivedrinksatthebarbeforegettingbehindthewheel,
isnt that correct?"
that you turnedyour head
r- "Didnit you testiryin your-ea/lbrstatement
your eye?"
ru* niUp"thrtd fto* the cornerof
;;Ji

31
34

WITHA PURPOSE
SPEAKING

Either/OrQuestions
\,

Either/orquestionsoffer a choicebetweentwo options.

Example
r "Do you getpaid everytwo weeksor monthly?"
I "Did the teacherseemto know what he wastalking aboutor not?"
r "Wasthe car dark or light?"
The last questionillustrateshow either/orquestionscansometimesbe
problematic.You can easilylosecontrol, arguingover shadesof dark or
light-what onepersonthinksis a dark carmaybea lightercarto another
person.Rephraseproblematicquestions.Avoid beingvagueor usingimpreciseterms.
Insteadof
r Wasthe car dark or light?

Better
I What colourwasthe car?

ReFlectiue
Questions
Reflectivequestionsare the mirror of empatheticlistening.They indicate to
the speakerthat you are actively listening and trfng to understand and
appreciatethe person'spoint of view. Although you may ultimately agree
to disagree,reflectivequestioning can communicate a desireto seekan understanding of sharedvaluesand common ground.
Example
r "I hear what you're saylngand I understand why you want to protect
the environment. How can we find a balancebetweenprotecting the
environment and protecting our human resourceswithout increasing
unemployment?"
I "You appear confusedby *y question; may I put it another way?"
I "Your arguments arevalid and your evidenceis compelling. However, . . . "

lleadlineQuestlons
Headline questionsor statementsdefine the key issuescentral to the problem or inquiry. They define the scopeof the argument. Like a newspaper
headline, the question focusesthe audience'sattention on the purpose of
the investigation or the verbal exchange.Debate questions or topics are
sometimes phrased as headline questions.
Example
r "Selling Canada'swater: Is water a commodity?"
r 'What's more beneficial to the global economy-free trade or fair trade?"
r "Should Canadaadopt proportional representation?"
|}

Skills
Chapter3 Questioning

35

TECHilIQUES
QUESTIOIII}IG
Once you know your purpose and understand the different types of questions, you can begin to experiment with sequencing or ordering your questions to achievemaximum impact with your audience in advancing your
argument.
Here are four techniquesof sequencingquestions:
r
r
r
r

the funnel technique

the chronological technique
the rapid-fire technique
the skip-around technique-

TheFunnelTechnique
r. e. Whatbroughtyou heretoday?
me.
A. My neighbourassaulted

2. Q. Canyou tellme whatled to thisassault?

A. Well,it all hasto do with hisdog.
3. Q. Canyou tellme moreabout that?
A. Hegot this new dog who is not trainedat

all,and it runsthroughmy gardenbeds,

diggingup my roses.
4. Q. WhathapPenednext?
A. I put barbedwire in the rosesto keephis

dog out,and I caughtmy neighbourtearI turned

ing up the wirethe otherday,.so
'
him.
my hoseon and soaked
n
Q. Whathappenedthent.'
A. Hewent nutsand cameaftdrme with a
gardengflolrl;
i
6. Q. Did you sustalri'
A. You bet, I gota

shoulder.

7. Q. Anythingelsel
A. A broken finger'"'
8. Q. Whendid this
A. Last FridaY.
9. Q. Canyou tell me Y
A. HannibalLecter!

neighbour'sname?

(Adapted from Doug Cochran, Interviewing Skilk for

Legal Professionals,P. 92')

The funnel technique involves asking a

sequenceof incremental questions.The
questions gradually build on knowledge
and understanding to arrive at a sPecific
conclusion.
1 . Ask a seriesof open-endedquestions to gather information.
2. Shift to closed-endedor yes/no
questions to narrow the resPonse.
3. Ask transitional questionsto focus
on critical information.
4. End with a closed-endedor leading
question.
The technique is illustrated in the accompanying figure. Open-endedquestionsare
followed by more specific closed-ended,
yes/no,or leadingquestions.Questions6 to
9 aretransitional questionsthat shift emphasis and require specificanswersto elicit important details critical to the case.

Technique
TheChronologieal
As its name implies, the chronological technique involves asking a seriesof questions
in order to establishthe sequencein which
certain events occurred. This technique is
often used to construct a story line.
*

4l
36

WITHA PURPOSE
SPEAKING
Example
I "Whendid you gethome?"
I "How do you knowwhat time it was?"
t "Who elsewasthere?"
I "What did you do then?"

TheRapid-FireTechnique
This technique involves asking a seriesof leading or closed-endedquestions. Often used during a rebuttal in a debate or Gross-examinationin a
trial, the speakertakescontrol of the verbal exchangein a confident manner by leading the subject to a predetermined conclusion.
The overall purpose is to challengeand weaken your opponent's argument through a seriesof questions that
r
r
r
r

revealinsufficient evidence
discloseunreliable evidence
discredit the evidence
exposecontradictions or inconsistencies.

Example
r "Didn't you saythat you were the first person to arrive? ... Didn't you
also saythat you didn't have a key to the building? ... So when you
couldn t open the door you broke the window, isn't that true?"
Becareful not to interrupt the speaker.Allow the speakerto answer"yes"
"no"
after eachquestion. Don't rush your delivery by running the quesor
tions together.The audienceneedstime to understand what was askedand
answered.And don't confuse rapid-fire questioning with'shotgunning":
Example
r "Now, Ms. Woods, when you entered the room, what did you see-was
it dark; did you notice the bloodstain on the floor; who entered first?"
Multiple questions can get confusing. It is unclear which part of the
answerrelatesto which part of the question.Avoid this undisciplined habit
of mind and sloppy questioning technique.
Rather,chooseone subject areaor topic to focus on and chunk a logical
sequenceor seriesof relevant questions.Then, move on to the next topic,
and so forth.
Example
r "Describe what you sawwhen you entered the room."
t "Can you tell me what the lighting was like in the room?"

Chapter3 QuestioningSkills

37

r "Describethe mark you noticedon the tloor"'

I "Who enteredthe room first?"
thequestionsin this disciplinedn]Tnerl t\e-answerswill
By sequencing
and adbe much cleu..ifo, your audienceand more helpful in clariffing
vancingyour caseor argument.

Technique
TheShip-Anound
This technique can be used effectivelyduring a debateor a cross-examinaevidenceto
tion in a trial setting. By randomly skipping from one piece of
be unPremay
she
or
he
and
another, you may .orrfura your oPPonent,
sequence.
pared foi the crucial questions at the end of your questioning
inconsistLikewise,the speakermay contradict himself or herself or reveal
argument'
or
enciesin his or her statement
ExamPle
I "So you arrived at the store at six p'm'?"
r *You spent the morning doing homework, is that true?"
t "Was it raining?"

pfewe:
wHEllro QuEsrloll
'..,

ANbWIIENTOSTOP

exchange
Asking a critical question at the appropriate time during a verbal
just
imporas
[t's
.ur, -""k your delivery more persuasiveand compelling.
a-question
tant to know when to stoP questioning' Knowing when to ask
pacing
skillful
requires
topic,
another
to
shift
to
and when to stop, or when
your
achieving
PurPose'
and aitive listening, and is critical to
one
But even the most experiencedperson can get in trouble by asking
of
line
question too many. The following ii an example of how.a successfirl
witnessquestioning-in ihis case'a defencelawyer's questioning of a
questions'
can backfirewith one too many
Example
a.Wherewerethedefendantandthevictimwhenthefightbrokeout?
A. In the middle of the field.
a. WherewereYou?
A. On the edgeof the field.
a. What wereYou doing?
A. Bird watching.
a. Wherewerethe bitds?
A. In the trees.

''

13
38

SPEAKING
WITHA PURPOSE

a. Wereyoulookingat thebirds?
A: Yes.

a. Soyour backwasto thepeoplefighting?

A. Yes.

This would havebeen a good place for the lawyer to stop, and then later
arguethat the witnesscould not possibly haveseenwhat the defendant was
accusedof. But the lawyer askedone more question:

if your backwasto them,howcanyousaythat thedefendantbit of

a. Well"
yictim's

the
nose?
A. I sawhim spit it out.

(FromEarl l.Levy,Examinationof Wtnesses

in Criminal Cases,pp.
lg4-1g5.)
lr.i

THEQUESTTOil
+yolDIIIG
The purpose of asking a question is to obtain an answer.However,sometimes people don't want to provide the answer.The following is a list of
techniquesthat people may use to try to avoid answering your question.
You need to be alert and actively listen to the answersyou receiveso that
you obtain the full answerto your questions.

'.,t!'.i;i;i;
,i, i:-t':
TECHNIQUE

WHAT1TLOOKSLIKE...

The non-response

The person providesa long, rambling answerthat goes all over

the map but does not respondto the question asked.

The inadequateresponse

The persontries to evadea direct responseby looking for loopholes in the question,so that the person can claim that he or she
answeredthe question.Make sure that your questionsare clear
and that they aren't open to interpretation.

The irrelevantresponse

The personanswersa question,just not the one you asked.The

person appearscooperative,but the answerdoes not advance
your understandingor your point. euestions that are poorly
worded or that use ambiguous or obscureterms can invite irrelevant responses.

The half.response

Only part of the question is answered.Thismay be unintentional.

Be sure to remain alert and listen carefullyso that you can catch
half responses.

The misleadingresponse

A responsethat misleadsor misrepresentsthe truth. Misleading

responsesflourish in grey areaswhere the question is vague.Be
sure that the meaning or the intent of the question is clear.

(Adaptedfrom Doug Cochran,InterviewingSkilkfor profexionals,

p. 155.)

Skills
Chapter3 Questioning

TOOLKIT
YQUnQUESTIONER'S
The following organizerprovidesan overviewof the questioningmodel,
you canusewhenplanning
typesof questions,andquestioningtechniques
your questions.

MODEL
QUE5TIONING
l.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Think
Know your purpose
Ask relevantquestions

6.
7.
8.
9.

Seekrelevantanswers
Make senseof the
information
Logicalreasoning
(deductive,inductive)
Challengeassumptions/
detect fallacies
lnferences/conclusions
More questions

TOPIC

TYPEOFQUESTION

TECHNIQUE
QUESTIONING

r Open-ended
questions
r Narrow/closed-ended
questions
r Probing/inquiry
questions
r Leadingquestions
r Either/orquestions
r Reflective
questions
r Headline
questions

r
r
r
r

TFIESEQUENCE
OF QUESTIONS
DECIDE
1.
2.

EVIDENCE
PRIORITIZE
1.

3.
4.
5.

2.
6.
3.

7.
8.

4.
9.
5.

Funnel
Chronological
Rapid-fire
Skip-around

10.

i;/

H5

I
I
!

clilnonsnq^
dowf|.

lhe b{d[l {ol cltk! bolif b ncf pre6en0

As ths ldg|e nlets tle coultr6fl
'AI rbe' thil @ul h tlorv b ssdon' Hle{hd Honou
ors|ou|ces In d cleol v#e'
p{e*frg' ewryce&esondsbrdsunlllho
Jtldge
luCge s[s.
Hodsd' b lho Cntn leodfl
Jtdc|e: "h ti c@ of lh Crm Fus JoslM
at"*n otqnef

qrd

Wilres:1dcf
Cle|t

fio'{ do llou Pleod'

hc sbred o d@ of notEulty''

odsd

'8e

Fsbcf

cld/tr dtto.rFy ex{]r*ns w}iTBs sd whq compbfd trft 1, det{ce

wilns,'

Accused: "lloi gltlY' )cir honod

shdthatth

lhs sloct'

cce -to

Cle|t 1 l|]ou slot !,ou tut ncrne lo(lhe coutt pteos? Do ]ou tromb io lel
lhe tnrthc lou krw lt corcertlng lhb md.^b|?CRDo iE{ Fknrdy sr
gil\F v.il ba fE hdh lhe wtufE trultt
thollhe e\dds lou Gobodb
ond ndhhg bith tRdtr s hepyou GodT

'\''lot'ddth ccrasd tie' Cbtlt Eods trP lrdidmsi

Ismhs stottdi ufltii he hG sleled hb P&eo'

Cbtk "Letthe tedd

ef glglln rftffltli

otlonetG(RbhrlThe Gffi

Crm

t',ld ope|*E s$olementqrd f

c<{ ils tid vrflnsr

JudgE:14 tt Ctm

Judga"bhedeiencGodf'
'tt diErc b ody' lou hoFtr"
Defenc otttssIi

Cbrlc 0o lt 6cusq

(Rbftg)Ys, lottthd$tr''

4 g!l9d 9!!d elEqr exsnnildh

th Ctct'n b eod!'' Iou tpmd

Cost Ceil siods

iE\rs 6 openhg otgurHd?

Crm

Jrdg: loeliha

l. Opcnlr of Couil:

opcnlng slqlment:

!. Cmt

Sequence of the Idcd

MockTrlol

DeterEE oflolFy c@ErInB

'llt |me qslitr6'
ffiffi

2. shr.tilrg ln ll1c Jr4':

Cld{n h4fis gl4 SH

|ou hmu

ccnplglad.

DoslhCtomtm

dyturlhl

Judge:'Ihwtnest nw$lepdo^n,
witns:es?,

os m:
Cb|k octmin&il$oolh ond otthotbn to tts entl lt'y
ttbmnlyild
TreXryw[ilse' Ioi\pu tigft hotr'bod F,ry
1P-ft
b-yotf fhdl ]ou t't
firJ r.i, *l *"1 o,ta dt*y rty-rnt ut91 ttor" b be thn
tlor'e h hmd'
rof'qs
o(
m
Uu'l'"s
l6u
A
reffra spe* orynrE-6 "?t'p*
yur obout thc tdne.but.h cdf ord when\,ou
.no wll ybu et onpnjspeoito
it up h
defvs
unll
lt
sctet
lou
t*" og*d upott otty'saa' irru vril teep
eurf? Do rou d srcs?'

Cro.|{rlotldncFYe3lcurhs|ol[.Wecd'

Jw:tos orp) 1 do-

qlstned?
Judsel'QeGrthe defence rl.qfsrn ap3{|rE
Defffi

Cerk Yo{l moyb3sect3d

Jrrdg:

of d"'|H

dlkxEy

red
C1eft {Fetche3wilnes$ Tlobe \pu dghl hoftd' Do lou
rornf but tr hft rc hF )&7
ttUr"
frL
"na
Wltrtesc1 do-

lvlokeop$no

siobm$l ond str

tary:

JudB: (innt io |fie ltt

Juryb seqsled

fo the sl's4'

(R!*) Tl de{dt c<tt -

dsiffieldi

ofh$y tRhfEl Yen you hsnr'-

t. chorglnglhc

rfin6's:

qWUthe deferca cdn tu ft$ wilmsJf

H{c

io lel th lru& fis

Defs choge it lh luy

sd re*es lo de{beulg

9. Jutrf dGtbcttd'pn snd Yctdiafi

Jurysncb lrtg$ogp lhot il hs tec.fiedo Eldct Btrm b dfim

C1e&'8e!oted

Jridge:'fkB lhe iry teoctFd o\dcl7

hms lroctoflru 1ot!

DeferEe cdbney et(qnkpswllnes ord wlen corndeled
wilne$.'

Jwbrepest

wins ond wtFn @rrpk*eq

dere
Crm ollmey cre'aoni$
rse qcstions, )our hduJL'
"*"res'N;
ho! cnY fulhr
Judg: 1l' wilne$ nEy step do'n' Dos6the ddetDe

hliB nr'lterof the Oo{$ssGJosttE

Jrs/loperst: You tsst,
firlutyftlcb tfd6{en&nt (grfry/ nd gJfi$ oaficfiogp otosult'

wih$ses?"

Cbrk {oftelcqsultg wilhttE Fdg dbod bngilh d odlFumgilrecert-'A|

(ql6est td-mhuts'i
;rJ, ntlt"","t"ll *odoun
&e lhir cout b-nor h
C1gdcRecoretE cqrrt cdbt 5ltsutoledHsd-'Al
uffi i.'dge b sected"Ycu mcryb seolqec'
Hi["'.:e""ii"*-i"ta

JrdgH Ivedbth rni gdlYct lhe cioe l odrtlhd

Yfl ole fGeb 9o. gr"
rcb&ed tnnF(trV,

h@"

ifttrcrd'

'Does lhe de{ere wishb md o closttg ddemenl?

Judge:
DeferEe ottotre$'Yes, ldl|horDtr''

(ncedwilhstdenFntl

'A fi6, tl coqlwfl w

oqoun [d ffiss] lcr-

rhn$,'

Jdp: CorFbeF Evtdenco th t*/hff cfidnberd qd<ttBtrfir(ppmfxirls

sbrE.

wldl to mdke o clcsho stoffin|?

C@moftonryY6,iouf$ndr''{Prccedwilhstotsnenu

hedetendqnl be

lh s'Smissbn
Juctqe:I the Erdctb qtMtg ct gtdt, thlus nrqtsftrEr
ppdt or|d/d o vlcfrFlnpat stdlrrcnl' RttfHtrg9
d o p|+stsru
Bldled lothe
br$5mb*m
Uoir ona GtUottr th Ctm ondttFdeferce
rmbb
h tuiophkn, wdmdihieo
ioiq lerhoJrrdqpwhin
6na cppdrice g*ence fq theonilcted peon. fo cbdq coud\ d be h
@6ld-miubr.
Clert

7. Cloclng orgumnll:
'Oos lhs c|M

(selecbd b/lheluDl:'Ye!, lou iEru'F

=\fiilfteluypieds lod lha \eirkt"

Judgp:

10. Pcsslnt sddlae:

to tfF sttd''
Deferpe oticrey Yei yulr horru. we c{t __-'No moE wilmsss you hmu' lh'
Ppces repeqh ttFi untfldeterE sJols
deferca |ests.1

Judge:

lhe

ffi

fhrdjgtrbuf lhe tii'

JudgF: tnsnrct lhe Jrlryobotrt lhet ml6 od obtigdbns

5. Dlied dnd dG'crqminallon

lcfiedord.'

Poces pdl8 ltI unlil crof,,n dqfea'ilc rnc{awilrpslGrcuhondr

c|cixn Bsls.'
5. Dct noct oFning

'fNl

cqd cJbt st'pdatodiilsd -'A &c, tit @qt ir nil in

Cle& Rmrwp
!slon,' E\eryonosfan& $tlluctgo b $obd Yil mqbs Hbd.'
Aksirdds Eturr hr'sheomuncs'$fl
gnimg

the dtsrlslds'teodr

hirtt