Avoid Being Evasive: Maintain Credibility on Stand
So, how being unresponsive on the witness stand can destroy your case—don’t do this.
Hi, I’m Tulsa Dads.Law attorney Clint Hastings. I practice here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I focus on father’s rights, and this is my 25th year of practice.
Importance of Answering Directly on the Witness Stand
At trial, you will take the stand, or the opposing party will, and this happens all the time. You ask questions, and they don’t want to give a straight answer. They dodge, change the subject, or add unnecessary information instead of answering what was asked.
For example, I might ask, “Ma’am, you went there on May 25th, right?” She says, “Yeah, and I went in the store because I was looking for something on sale. I didn’t even know he was there. Then I saw my friend, made a call, and realized he was there, so I walked around—”
Building Credibility on the Witness Stand
“Ma’am, it’s a yes or no. You went in to confront him or not? Which is it?”
“Well, I did and I didn’t because I didn’t intend to, but when I saw him, I thought maybe—”
Consult with Your Lawyer and Prepare for Trial
When that happens, we object to the judge: “Objection, unresponsive, Your Honor.” That means the witness is not answering the question actually asked. There’s a fine line here—attorneys shouldn’t interrupt if the witness is still answering—but if the response goes off-topic or avoids the question, that’s unresponsive.
As lawyers, we talk to clients before trial and give them basic advice on how to testify. If the client can afford it, we might even run through example questioning so they can practice how to respond clearly and appropriately. I tell clients to focus on the question, answer only what’s asked, and don’t add unnecessary details.
Schedule a Consultation
Keep that in mind, talk with your lawyer about it—hopefully that’s me—and we’ll make sure you’re ready for trial. Give Tulsa men’s divorce attorney Clint Hastings a call at 918-962-0900 if you need a consultation on any family law issue.
