How To Navigate An Objection
Transcription
Sari de la Motte here, I'm based in Portland, Oregon. I specialize in helping attorneys communicate with jurors. In today's video we're going to talk about how to handle objections in court. Oftentimes we look at an objection as a very negative thing. They don't have to be. In fact, Rick Friedman talks about not being too worried about objections, as they are a waving flag to jurors that the information that was objected to is important.
Don't get too attached to the fact that you've been objected to, but if that happens, what can you do nonverbally to get back on track? Well here we train our attorneys to do a couple of very specific things. First, recognize that where people look is where the responsibility lies. When you are in front of the jury, for example during voir dire or opening, and you're objected to, you're most likely looking at the jury. That means the jury will associate the objection with you. Instead, when you are objected to, look down. Not in a shameful way like, "Oh I did something wrong," but just look down like you're processing what just happened. This will force the jury, because we are trained to follow eye contact, to look at the person who made the objection, associating the objection with the speaker and not with you.
Once the objection is handled, in whatever way that ends up being handled, take a breath. While still looking down, begin to move location. This is called decontamination; you can't continue what you were doing in the same location where the objection happened. Location holds memory. Have you ever been in your living room and went into your kitchen to get something and then halfway there you forget what it is you were going to get? What do you have to do? You have to come back! Location holds memory. The location that you were in when you got objected to is holding the memory of that objection, so to be able to shake that off, both for yourself and for your jury, move, break eye contact and breathe. When you get to your new location, which may just be a few steps away, pop back up with a brand new look on your face and start right where you left off.
Don't get too attached to the fact that you've been objected to, but if that happens, what can you do nonverbally to get back on track? Well here we train our attorneys to do a couple of very specific things. First, recognize that where people look is where the responsibility lies. When you are in front of the jury, for example during voir dire or opening, and you're objected to, you're most likely looking at the jury. That means the jury will associate the objection with you. Instead, when you are objected to, look down. Not in a shameful way like, "Oh I did something wrong," but just look down like you're processing what just happened. This will force the jury, because we are trained to follow eye contact, to look at the person who made the objection, associating the objection with the speaker and not with you.
Once the objection is handled, in whatever way that ends up being handled, take a breath. While still looking down, begin to move location. This is called decontamination; you can't continue what you were doing in the same location where the objection happened. Location holds memory. Have you ever been in your living room and went into your kitchen to get something and then halfway there you forget what it is you were going to get? What do you have to do? You have to come back! Location holds memory. The location that you were in when you got objected to is holding the memory of that objection, so to be able to shake that off, both for yourself and for your jury, move, break eye contact and breathe. When you get to your new location, which may just be a few steps away, pop back up with a brand new look on your face and start right where you left off.