Summoned as a witness
Discussion
Hi All,
Looking for a little advice, I witnessed an accident a couple of years ago and have been summoned as a witness to court. I don't want to go into details for now about who and what was involved but there were no fatalities etc but there were injuries!
Anyway, I am on the defence side of things. What can I expect on the day? Should I just wear what I would wear to work kind of thing? Smart Trousers an a Shirt? Anything else I should know ahead of time?
Ta
geeks
Looking for a little advice, I witnessed an accident a couple of years ago and have been summoned as a witness to court. I don't want to go into details for now about who and what was involved but there were no fatalities etc but there were injuries!
Anyway, I am on the defence side of things. What can I expect on the day? Should I just wear what I would wear to work kind of thing? Smart Trousers an a Shirt? Anything else I should know ahead of time?
Ta
geeks
Civil claim for damages or a criminal prosecution?
If it's a civil claim, a witness statement will have been prepared for you beforehand, which you should have seen, approved and signed. You're there to be cross-examined on its contents.
As to what you wear, that's up to you. You don't have any dog in the fight so it's entirely a matter for you whether you want to create a favourable impression.
If it's a civil claim, a witness statement will have been prepared for you beforehand, which you should have seen, approved and signed. You're there to be cross-examined on its contents.
As to what you wear, that's up to you. You don't have any dog in the fight so it's entirely a matter for you whether you want to create a favourable impression.
Errr it's civil I believe. I was asked to provide statements to the Police and both the insurance companies following the accident.
I was then contacted by the insurance company for the defence and a proper statement was prepared and I signed it and it was submitted. I have lost my copy of it unfortunately following our house flooding out earlier in the year.
Seems fault is being hotly contested and I am the only witness (IMHO fault is pretty black and white and I said as much in my statement) so struggling to understand why it is being contested!
I was then contacted by the insurance company for the defence and a proper statement was prepared and I signed it and it was submitted. I have lost my copy of it unfortunately following our house flooding out earlier in the year.
Seems fault is being hotly contested and I am the only witness (IMHO fault is pretty black and white and I said as much in my statement) so struggling to understand why it is being contested!
ellroy said:
Shirt and tie would be a good start, look the part. I’m sure you’ll see that you’re in the top quartile of attendees if you do!
Good luck!
Whilst it's always good to respect the court by dressing smartly, remember you are not a defendant so are under no obligation to impress anyone by the effort you have made.Good luck!
I wouldn't go in tracksuit bottoms and trainers, but smart-casual is fine if you wish.
Muzzer79 said:
ellroy said:
Shirt and tie would be a good start, look the part. I’m sure you’ll see that you’re in the top quartile of attendees if you do!
Good luck!
Whilst it's always good to respect the court by dressing smartly, remember you are not a defendant so are under no obligation to impress anyone by the effort you have made.Good luck!
I wouldn't go in tracksuit bottoms and trainers, but smart-casual is fine if you wish.
I would imagine so, but part of the stuff I was asked to complete by both insurance companies and the police had a question asking who I deemed to be at fault, I answered this the same way on all three. My prepared statement included a summary of whom I believed to be at fault, it was prepared by an ex policeman who asked asked me a series of questions to prepare the statement etc.
I will just answer the questions I am asked and leave it at that, it isn't my place to determine the outcome but the courts...... right?
I will just answer the questions I am asked and leave it at that, it isn't my place to determine the outcome but the courts...... right?
SVTRick said:
How much they paying you?
If self employed £500 a shift
Good luck with that. If self employed £500 a shift
They're required to tender "conduct money" with the witness summons, to cover the cost of getting you there and back.
The amount for compensation for loss of earnings is to be based on the sums payable to witnesses attending the Crown Court, as found in Costs in Criminal Cases Regulations 1986 as amended, as supplemented by the Guide to Allowances under Part V of the Costs in Criminal Cases (General) Regulations. I wouldn't bother looking it up - it's a pittance and bears no resemblance to actual loss of earnings.
I was a witness in coroners court a couple of years back when a woman jumped under a fully laden HGV sat on his limiter on the M1.
They basically read my detailed statement out that I had given to the police, I was asked if this was a true & accurate account of events to which I said yes. I then sat for the rest of the hearing (I was given the option of staying or leaving) as I was interested in the science of how the crash investigators & police mapped out what happened before during and after the event.
It was a bit depressing. The person in question committed suicide because her husband who was some leader in an African religious cult along with the other elders, prescribed beating and gang rape to 'cure' her post natal depression. Before she died she had gone to the police station to retract her statement against him. He never went to identify or claim her body or appear at the inquest.
Karma does exist though as some months later he was in the paper again because somebody gave him a good kicking, the sort of kicking that leaves you a cabbage.
They basically read my detailed statement out that I had given to the police, I was asked if this was a true & accurate account of events to which I said yes. I then sat for the rest of the hearing (I was given the option of staying or leaving) as I was interested in the science of how the crash investigators & police mapped out what happened before during and after the event.
It was a bit depressing. The person in question committed suicide because her husband who was some leader in an African religious cult along with the other elders, prescribed beating and gang rape to 'cure' her post natal depression. Before she died she had gone to the police station to retract her statement against him. He never went to identify or claim her body or appear at the inquest.
Karma does exist though as some months later he was in the paper again because somebody gave him a good kicking, the sort of kicking that leaves you a cabbage.
covboy said:
Playing Devils Advocate. Would the Court only be interested in the witness of facts of the accident rather than asking to place blame ?
1. I suggest that you look up the meaning of the term Devil's Advocate. It does not mean what you appear to think it means.2. The Court is interested in placing blame - that is what it's there for.
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