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Courtroom Etiquette in New York CityIf you find yourself going up against criminal charges in New York City, there’s a number of things that could make your courtroom experience a lot worse, and a lot of them have to do with your comportment during trial. There are lots of ways to throw caution to the wind and end up on the receiving end of a judge’s wrath, so use common sense. A courtroom is where the law takes precedence over everything else. Make sure that you don’t do anything overly distracting which could get you in trouble before or during your case.

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Dress Respectfully For the Court

Wait Your Turn

It goes without saying that if you are being charged criminally you should dress in

a humble manner to present the best possible defense. Not doing so is not only

foolish, it can prejudice the outcome of your case if the judge or jury feels you are

not taking the matter seriously. Don’t turn those who are trying to serve the interests

of justice against you by wearing crude or disrespectful slogans or graphics. Don’t

overdress, be ostentatious in your dress or wear anything flamboyant. Presenting

yourself in as humble a manner as possible can only help.

While the court system in New York City can be subject to heavy backlog, it has a

reputation for working speedily overall. That said, don’t be surprised if your case

isn’t first on the docket. (However, don’t make an assumption in the other direction

either: you can be found in contempt if you aren’t present from the opening of the

court!) Be patient, and don’t make a lot of noise if your case isn’t found immediately.

If it’s taking longer than you expected and you need to tell someone, quietly motion

to excuse yourself to either the bailiff or court employees (don’t interrupt the judge)

and do so outside of the courtroom. Don’t go too far, however; if you get called and

you aren’t present, your case can be pushed further down.

Silence Your DevicesOne of basic rules of the court is that smart devices that we have become accustomed to using all the time are generally forbidden. Yes, a vibrating phone still makes a sound-- and if you don’t want to risk upsetting the judge and looking like a scofflaw, „turn it off” means „turn it off”. The same goes for recording devices,

tablets, and MP3 players. Don’t end up making an enemy of the court because you wanted to keep up on social media while you were in court. Shut it off, and there won’t be a problem. (It’s also a good idea to tell any friends or family interested in your case that you have to keep a phone off to avoid unnecessary worry.

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Eat and Drink Outside

If You Bring Children...Sometimes you have to bring kids to the court. However, keep in mind that the judge has power to exercise discretion and will make the best effort possible to keep the courtroom in order. If your children are quiet then there won’t be a problem. If they’re loud or unruly, they will be a distraction, and the judge could ask you to remove them from the court, with which you will have to comply.

Speak ONLY When Spoken To Keep talking to a minimum in the court. Having side

conversations can be a great way to really annoy

a judge, who is trying to concentrate on a case at

hand. Whispering and murmuring will immediately

cause a problem, so don’t make the mistake of

doing so. Such murmuring can be used to poison

testimony, and the court will treat it accordingly.

Showing the court disrespect is another way to turn

the outcome of a case against you.

There is no reason to bring food into the courtroom. Whether

the court has a vending machine, concession stand or

not is irrelevant. The machines are there for snacks and

beverages outside the courtroom, or accompanying lunch,

all of which takes place outside the court. If you need to

eat or drink something (which is perfectly human-- it’s why

machines are often there) but make sure to take it outside.

Eating during the proceedings is considered rude and will

be taken badly by a judge.

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