Legal Assistance Pointers
Note that I am not a lawyer, but have a background with skill sets around regulatory compliance & compiling evidence. This page is not for providing legal advice, but rather for giving pointers that may be useful when working with a laywer.
In order to have the best chances in court, you will need to gather as much information as you can and file accordingly. This will arm your lawyer to defend you.
Here are steps for different situations, such as:
- Reporting Child Abuse
- Reporting Domestic Violence/Abuse
- Reporting Malpractice
- Reporting Fraud
- Reporting Harassment/Stalking
Tips for Court
Behaving in court is critical in order to be heard. This is especially important when dealing with highly manipulative individuals, because they will try their best to instigate a strong reaction in order to discredit your testimony.
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Expect & mentally prepare for gaslighting. Instead of reacting with emotions, provide counterevidence by keeping a copy of the report (using template above) in front of you, provide a copy when requested, and refer to the page numbers, sections, and attachment names. This keeps you objective and level-headed.
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Only speak when spoken to. Do not interrupt others when speaking, especially the judge.
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Speak with witnesses prior to a court appearance, & ensure to identify them & make it clear that you will be leveraging witness testimony. This will be asked early in court.
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Do not name call, use profanity, or show extreme emotions. You do not want to display behaviors that will create an impression of instability, because offenders will typically try to present themselves as the victim.