Trying Criminal Cases-Client Preparation
- Bowers Law Firm
- Jun 11
- 1 min read
As trial attorneys we know this instinctively. We prep clients on how to sit, how to look at jurors, when (and whether) to show emotion. Defense manuals even recommend:
Clothing
Hairstyling
Coaching on facial expressions and posture
Why? Because how our client looks can mean the difference between guilt and reasonable doubt.
Trying a case is never just about the law. It's also about storytelling, performance, and perception. As a trial lawyer, it doesn’t mean we turn into an actor. But it does mean recognizing that our audience—the jury—is watching everything.
Whether it is a closing argument or the client's body language during testimony, we are involved in a presentation. We prepare our cases meticulously to support our client because every detail is important and should not be left to chance.
At first glance, it looks like a routine drug stop. But the Wyoming Supreme Court’s reversal in O’Boyle reminds trial lawyers that how evidence is obtained matters as much as what is found.
