This week I have to direct and cross two child witnesses. In my former life as a child protection worker, I spent the majority of my time interviewing children. My interviews had to be sufficient to support findings in court, but also had to be as trauma-less as possible. I think I'm pretty good at interviewing child clients. But I'm pretty rusty, as it's been at least 2.5 years since I conducted my last interview.
I'm not excited about cross-examining kids. I think kids are great. As far as I'm concerned, every little hellion out there is precious. I have to do my direct examination as a defense attorney in a civil case, but I have to do my cross examination of a defense witness in a drug case. Yikes! So not only am I the evil prosecutor in the second case, but I'm the evil prosecutor trying to smear this poor kid on the stand. Have I no shame?
I love working with juveniles and I'm psyched to work with kids this week. I'm sad that I have to cross-examine one of them in such a nasty way, but I suppose it'll be good practice for the future.
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3 comments:
you should apply to the Children in Need of Supervision Until of the Maryland Legal Aid people's. They want peoples who have worked with kids.
Child winesses/complainants are my client base. I hope you do a lot better than most of the defence lawyers i have come up against. For most, i have had the judge step in and belittle the def lawyer! They have Not a clue in cross examining kids. Present your questions in a child friendly manner and you'll have answers otherwise it will leave you as frustrated as hell.
CHINS work would be awesome. Juvie badasses that aren't quite bad enough to be delinquents. Yet. Sweet!
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