Courtroom Etiquette and Potential Breaches

Adhering to courtroom etiquette is not only a civility, but also a requirement of proper courtroom behaviour. As a forensic psychology professional working in the courts, you must be mindful of professional etiquette as well as courtroom-specific etiquette. Breaches of professional etiquette are problematic, but breaches of courtroom etiquette can have more serious, though unintended, consequences. In addition to courtroom etiquette, there are common courtesies that you are expected to follow in order to best serve as a professional in the courts. For example, as a forensic psychology professional, you are familiar with the terminology and principles of the profession, but others in the courtroom, such as the judge, jury, or lawyers, may need to hear your testimony in lay terms; otherwise, they may think of you as arrogant instead of knowledgeable.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the article “Bushido in the Courtroom: A Case for Virtue-Oriented Lawyering,” and focus on the virtues that courtroom etiquette are based on. Review the article “Procedural Default: A De Facto Exception to Civility?” Consider the forms of etiquette expected in a courtroom and the possible consequences of breaching that etiquette.

Provide a description of the two breaches of courtroom etiquette you selected and explain the possible consequences of each of the breaches of etiquette. Be specific.
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Suggested outline:

1. About Courtroom etiquette – 150 words
2. Breaches/Issues – 150 words
3. Consequences – 100 words

Courtroom Etiquette

Behavior in the courtroom, especially among professionals (as in the case of expert witnesses) follows certain protocols. Forensic psychologists are afforded a particular value in the courtroom because of their expertise making their opinions have weight in the decisions of jurors and judges. As is expected, professional behavior in the courtroom accompanies expert witness duties. According to the FPC (2015), “If you’re hiring a forensic psychologist to testify in court, the professional should be well versed in court room manners, verbiage, and etiquette. Carrying yourself professionally in a court requires a significant amount of knowledge and experience. There is more to retaining a forensic psychologist, than many believe, which is a process a forensic psychologist should be able to explain before being retained. An inexperienced expert …