Preparing Witnesses to Give Evidence


PREPARINGWITNESSESTOGIVEEVIDENCE

by
FrançoisM.Grenier
*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,Lawyers,
ROBIC,Patent&TrademarkAgents
CentreCDPCapital
1001Square-Victoria-BlocE–8
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Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH2Z2B7
Tel.(514)9876242-Fax(514)8457874
www.robic.ca-info@robic.com

Thispaperistobelimitedtothepreparationoffactualwitnesses,asopposed
toexpertwitnesses,whichwillbedealtwithbysomeoneelseinthisprogram.
Factualwitnessesarealsocalled“ordinarywitnesses”,amisnomer.Nosuch
animalexists.Askanywitness.
IwasoncetoldbymyunclethatfortheJudge,atrialisjustlikeamovie:you
haveastory,characters,drama,highpoints,lowpointsandeventually,a
conclusion…expectedornotexpected.Thetriallawyersarethedirectorsof
themovie.Eventhoughthetwodirectorsmighthavedifferentideasabout
thewaythemovieshouldend,myuncleusedtosaythatbothsharethe
responsibilityofmakingthatmovieinteresting.Youmakeadullmovie,you
willhaveadullresponsefromtheaudience.Youpresentabadtrial,expect
abadjudgment.Myuncleisajudgeandthatwasoneofthebestpiecesof
adviceIgotwhenIstartedmypractice.
Whenyouarepreparingyourwitnessesfortrial,youarepreparingtheactors
thatwillappearinyourmovieand,hopefully,somebodywilllistentothem.
Youmustdoagoodjob.
Keepinmindthatyoualreadyhaveaprettygoodscriptofwhatyour
witnesseswilleventuallysayoratleastshouldsay,whetheryourepresentthe
PlaintiffortheDefendant.Thisbasicscriptisconstitutedofthefollowing
elements:

©LEGERROBICRICHARD,1989.
*Lawyer,FrançoisM.GrenierisaseniorpartnerinthelawfirmLEGERROBICRICHARD,g.p.and
inthepatentandtrademarkagencyfirmROBIC,g.p.Thismaterialwasdesignedforthe
purposeofageneralpresentationmadeduringtheSeminarIntellectualPropertyLitigation–
PracticeEvidenceAdvocacyorganizedbytheCanadianBarAssociationonMarch8-9,1989
inOttawa.Itwasmeantfordiscussionanddoesnotconclusivelystatetheopinionoftheir
authorsorthemembersoftheirrespectivefirmsonthesubjectmatternordoesitprovidean
exhaustivereviewthereof.Publication49.


1.ThePreliminaryStory:Thefactsasyougotthemfromyourclientcoupled
withthefactsresultingfromyourfactfindingresearchdonebefore
preparingthepleadings;
2.ThePleadings:Bothsideswilleventuallytrytoprovewhatwasalleged;
3.TheDiscoveries:ThatIcall«thedustbusters»whereyouwillbeina
positiontodefinetherealcaseyouwilleventuallyhavetomeet;
4.OpeningStatements:Rule494saysthatwheneverapartyproposesto
adduceevidence,acounselforthepartyshallimmediatelybefore
introducinganyevidence,openhiscasebymakingashortstatement
givingaconciseoutlineofthefactsthatthepartyproposestoproveand
oftheapplicablelaw.Thispracticeisgenerallyfollowedbeforethe
FederalCourtofCanada.However,theDefendantdoesnotalwaysgive
anopeningstatement.Irecommend,ineverycases,thatasaDefendant,
anopeningstatementshouldalwaysbegiventotheCourt.Themerefact
ofpreparingitbeforethetrialwillgiveyouaclearerviewofwhattoprove
totheCourt.
5.TheDocumentaryEvidence:Documentsusuallycontainallkindsoffacts
withwhichyouwilleventuallyhavetodeal,onewayortheother.
Therefore,inpreparingyourwitnessesandpreparingthecross-examinationof
thewitnessesyouanticipatetheothersidewillpresent,rememberthatyour
witnesseswillhavetosaysubstantiallywhattheysaidbeforeorwrotebefore
(bewareofthosedocumentssignedbyoneofyourwitnessesandfiledduring
discovery).Ifyourwitnessesdonotsaysubstantiallywhattheysaidbeforeor
wrotebefore,theyshouldhaveaverygoodandcrediblereason.Thisworks
fortheothersidetoo.
Nothingismoredangerousthanfilingdocumentsinbulkwithouthavinggood
knowledgeoftheircontent.Documentsshouldalwaysbehandledwithcare.
Itisoftheutmostimportancethatbeforetrialyouobtainperfectknowledge
ofallpriorstatementsgivenbyanypersonlikelytoappearasawitnessat
trial.
PREPARINGYOURWITNESSES


Therearetwokindsofwitnesses,thoseyoucontrolbeforethetrialandthat
youwillbeabletomeetanddiscussthecasewith,andthoseyoudonot
control,assignedbysubpoenaandwhowillrefusetomeetyoubeforetrial.
Meetallthewitnessesyoucontrol,individually,twotothreemonthsbefore
trialandgooverthefacts.Havethemtellyoutheirstoryandavoidtelling
themwhatkindofstoryyouwouldliketohear.Remindthemofwhatthey
saidorwrotebeforeaboutthecaseandifyouareunsureofanything,ask
themforasatisfactoryexplanation.Discussallfactualaspectsofthecase
whichtheymighthaveknowledgeof.Atthatfirstformalmeeting,youshould
nothavealistofquestionsprepared.Thisshouldnotbeafinalrehearsalof
theirtestimony.Youshouldratherhaveanextremelygoodknowledgeofthe
factualaspectsofyourcaseandtrytoseeifspontaneouslythefactsgivenby
thewitnessesmatchthefactsthatyouhaveknowledgeof.
Donotbeafraidtoexplaintoyourwitnesses,ingeneralterms,whatyourcase
isandwhatyouaretryingtoachievewiththeirtestimony.Itmaynotbe
necessarytodothiswithawitnesstestifyingonaverysimplequestionoffact,
asanexampleawitnesscalledonlytorecognizeasignatureonadocument
orawitnesstestifyingonanumberofrefrigeratorssoldtoaparticularoutlet.
Showtoyourwitnessesallexhibitsthatwillbepresentedtothemduringtheir
testimony.
Duringtheweekbeforethetrial,meetallyourwitnessestogetherandatthis
time,haveyourquestionsready.Thisshouldbethefinalrehearsalbeforetrial.
Askyourquestionsinthesequenceyouwillaskthemattrial.Listencarefully
towhatyourwitnessesaresaying.Donotconcentrateonthequestionsonly.
Uptoacertainextent,theyarenotimportant.Theanswersareimportant.
Sinceyoucannotaskleadingquestionstoyourwitnesses,makesurethatthe
answersyouarelookingforarecomingnaturallyfromyourwitnesseswithout
unduesuggestions.
Yourwitnessesshouldberelaxandnatural.Explainhowthingsaredonein
Court,thevariousrolesplayedbythepeoplepresentandhowthecasewill
evolve.TellthemthattheymightbeexcludedfromtheCourtroomifthe
demandismadeandthatyourselfmaymakesuchademand.
WitnessesarecalledtohelptheCourt,notyouoryourcase.Makethemfeel
theimportanceoftheirrole,theywillperformbetter.
Tellthemthatmostlikely,theywillbecross-examinedbytheotherside.
Explainthoroughlyhowacross-examinationisconductedandthepurposeof
it.Theyshouldlistencarefullytothequestionsaskedandthesuggestions


made.Tellthemthattheydonothavetoagreeautomaticallywiththe
suggestionsmadejusttopleaseeverybody.Explainthatwhentheydonot
knoworrememberafact,“Idon’tremember”and“Idon’tknow”are
acceptableanswerswhenthewholeofthetestimonyiscredible.Witnesses,
bynature,feelthattheymustanswereveryquestionsasked,becausethey
thinkitistheirduty.
Justafewwordsonthosewitnessesthatyoumustcall(Iinsistontheword
“must”)andyoudonotcontrol,especiallythosewhowillrefusetoseeyou
beforetrial.Thiskindoftestimonymustbepreparedverycarefully.Since
theyareyourownwitnesses,leadingquestionswillnotbepermittedunless
thewitnessislabelledbytheCourtashostile.Onlyessentialquestionsmustbe
asked.Openendedquestionsaretobeavoided.Usually,thiskindof
testimonyisshort.Preparealistofthefactsthatyouwantthiswitnessto
establish,lookforyouranswerandifyougetit,leavethesubject.Ifyoudo
notgetitintheformyouwantit,staywiththesubjectuntilyougeta
satisfactoryanswer.Onceyoudohaveasatisfactoryanswer,donotlookfor
more.Youmayspoilit.
Infinalpreparationfortrial,seeifthosefactscannotbeestablishedotherwise,
byanotherwitness,bycross-examinationoftheothersidewitnessesorbya
document.
Sometimes,youmaywishtoexamineinchieftheotherparty.The
examinationmustbepreparedinthesameway.Doitonlyifyouhavetodo
it.
Usually,itisdoneforimpactonly,sinceyoualwayshavethediscoverythat
youcanreadintherecord.Ifyouhaveagooddiscoverywithanswersfrom
theothersidethatcanbeinterpretedinonlyoneway,inyourfavour,go
ahead.ItisalwaysnicetohavetheJudgehearsomethinggoodaboutyour
clientcomingfromtheotherside.Ifyoudonotgetthesameanswersattrial,
contradictthewitnesswithhisdiscovery.That’snicetoo.However,youmust
showhimhispreviousstatement:
Q.DoyourememberhavingbeenexaminedbymeonJuly17,1988,at
myfriendoffice?
A.Yes.
Q.HereisacopyofthestenographernotestakenonthatoccasionandI
willreadtoyouafewofthequestionsaskedandanswersgivenbyyou
atpage53.
Doyourememberthesequestionsaskedandthoseanswersgiven?


A.Yes.
Alwaysadviseyourwitnessestotellthetruth.Nevergetsoinvolvedinacase
thatyoumightlosesightofwhatthepurposeofitallis.Thisisnotyourcase,it
isyourclient’scase.Clientscome,clientsgo,butyoustayandyourgood
reputationwillserveyouwellonthelongrun.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
Hearingthestatement:“yourwitness”,isoftencomparedtogivingthekeysof
asportscartoasixteenyearoldkidwhojustreceivedhisdrivingpermit.Even
ifhehasnowheretogo,itiscertainhewillgosomewhere.
Whenyourfriendtellsyou“yourwitness”,ifyouhavenowheretogo,stay
whereyouare.Itisathoughthingtodo,especiallyinfrontofyourclient.
Ifyouwithtocross-examine,knowinadvancewhatyouwanttoachieve,
isolatethestatementsmadebythewitnessthatyouwishtocontradictorat
leastdiminishitsimpact.Donotcross-examineoneverysmallpointsoreven
onsomethingyouknowtobeuntrueifitdoesnothurtyourcase,unlessyou
wanttoattackthecredibilityofthewitness.
Justlikeexaminationinchief,cross-examinationshouldbepreparedbefore
trialandadaptedafteryouheardinCourtwhatissaidvivavocebythe
witness.
Youalwayshaveagoodideaoftheidentityofthewitnessestheotherside
willcalland,asforyourownwitnesses,youshouldhaveinyourfile,
statementsinvariousformsconcerningtheissuesonwhichtheywilltestify.
Evenifyoudon’tknowtheidentityofthewitnessthatwilltestifyona
particularissue,prepareacross-examinationontheissueratherthanofthe
witnessitself.
Usewhenpossiblethe“aim-lock-releasetechnique”.“Aim”attheissueand
makesurethattheJudgeandthewitnessknowwhichoneyouaretalking
about.Beclearinyourmindwhatyouwanttoestablishwiththisparticular
witness.“Lock”thewitnessintopreviousstatementshemadeorwrote,or
previousfactsestablishedbytheevidence.Whenproperlylocked,release
thequestionandenjoyagoodhit.
Example


Inatrademarkcase,thecorporatecounseltestifiesthatpartofhisjobisto
bevigilantanddiligentaboutunauthorizeduseoftrademarkconsidered
confusingwiththecompany’smaintrademarkinordertosafeguardits
distinctiveness.Aspartofyourdefence,youhavelistedthirty-fivetrademarks
inusewhichyouconsidertobeconfusing.
1.Aimattheissue:Distinctivenessandambitofprotection:
Q.Sir,youhavetestifiedthattoprotectthedistinctivenessofyour
employer’strademark,partofyourjobwastobevigilantanddiligent
aboutunauthorizeduseofconfusingtrademark.
A.Yes.
Q.Doyouconsiderthatagoodtrademarkmustbedistinctiveand
unique?
A.Certainly.
2.LocktheWitness:Askafewquestionstomakesurethathewon’tbe
abletoescapeyourgriponceheunderstandswhereyouwanttogo:
Q.Andifitisnotdistinctiveandunique,atrademarkisnotentitledtothe
sameprotectionbytheCourt?
A.Well,thatisnotformetosay.TheCourtwilldecidethekindof
protectiontowhichatrademarkisentitled.
Q.But,byyourtestimony,wereyounotimplyingtotheCourtthatyour
trademarkshouldbeentitledtoawiderambitofprotection,being
verydistinctivebecauseofyourvigilanceanddiligence?
A.Well,yes.
Q.Therefore,youagreewithmethatatleastinyourmindatrademark
whichisdistinctiveanduniqueisentitledtoawiderambitof
protection?
A.Yes.
Q.Sir,wastheparticularsofthelistofthirty-fivetrademarksreferredtoin
theStatementofDefence,broughttoyourattention,whichthirty-five


trademarkscontaininwholeorinpartyourtrademarkandsomeof
whichareinuseinthecitywhereyourofficeislocated?
A.Itwasbroughttomyattention,butIfeltthatbecausetheirfieldof
activitiesappearssodifferenttoours,noriskofconfusionexists.
Q.Didyousendsomebodytocheckwhatthererealactivitieswere?
A.No,becausethefieldofactivitiesappearssodifferent.
Q.Soyousentnobody?
A.No.
3.Release:EstablishthepointyouwanttheCourttounderstand.
Q.Youdidnotbothertocheck?
A.Well…
Q.Whatisthisaboutbeingvigilantanddiligent?
Youmadeyourpoint.
Alwaysbeconsciousofthepersonyouarecross-examining.Youdonotdeal
inthesamemannerwithanoldladyasyoudowithamature
businesswoman.Thismayseemobvious,butIhaveseenmanylawyers
havinggonetoofarwithawitnessandfindthemselveswithacryingoldlady
andamadJudge.
AlwayskeepyoureyesandearsopenintheCourtroom.Youmayhearor
seethingsveryhelpfultoyourcase.Observewhatspectatorsmightbedoing
orsaying.Theymayallbecalledaswitnesses.
Inconsideringtheevidenceyourwitnesseswillgive,rememberMr.Justice
Jackett’scommentsinNicholasZavadiukv.MinisterofNationalRevenue
(1967)C.T.C.,447,at450:


“Ididnotfindtheappellant’sevidencepersuasive.Hewasobviously
doinghisbesttoputforwardaviewofthefactsthatwouldsupporthis
appeal.Hisevidenceseemedtometobeanexampleofhowa
persontryingtorecalleventsofthepastcanpersuadehimselfthatdid
notactuallyoccur.Thisisnotanuncommonphenomenoninthecourts
and,whenitoccurs,thepersoninvolvedhasfrequentlybroughthimself
tothepointwherehehonestlybelieveswhathesays.”
CONCLUSION
Beingwellpreparedenhanceyourchancesofwinningthecaseforyour
client.Also,anditisimportant,youwillbemorerelaxandyouwillperform
better.



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