Webinar examines 'Being an Effective and Credible Witness on the Stand'

The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan will present the Traffic Safety Training Program Webinar “Being an Effective and Credible Witness on the Stand: Through the Eyes of a Judge, Prosecutor, and Defense Attorney” on Wednesday, January 12, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom.

Testifying in court can be a stressful experience for law enforcement officers, whether it’s an officer’s first or 20th time. In the courtroom, the officer will encounter the judge presiding over the case, the prosecutor or city attorney handling the matter, and the defense attorney retained or appointed on the case. In this webinar, a judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney will discuss key points from their perspectives as it relates to effective and credible courtroom testimony. 

Key points that will be covered in this 90-minute webinar include the following:

  • The significance of thorough preparation
  • Courtroom etiquette matters
  • Characteristics of an effective and credible witness
  • The importance of police report writing
  • Professional demeanor in the courtroom
  • How to avoid common mistakes when testifying
  • How to overcome credibility crushing cross examination
  • The most important things to do every time before taking the stand

There is no charge to attend this webinar, but registration is required. To register, visit www.michiganprosecutor.org and click on “training.”

After registering attendees will receive a confirmation email from Zoom with instructions on how to join the webinar. Registrants should make sure retain the confirmation email sent to them and carefully enter their email address correctly. 

The training handouts, if any, will be made available the day of each webinar.

This series will be recorded. Those who are unable to attend this webinar at the scheduled time but would still like to watch it, should go ahead and register as indicated.  Everyone who is registered will receive a link to the recording of the webinar regardless of whether or not they attended.

This webinar course is approved for 1 hour of credit under PAAM’s recommended CLE Best Practice.

Anyone with questions can contact Amy Gronowski at gronowskia@michigan.gov or 517-643-2114.