This document summarizes the key steps in effectively examining witnesses in chief during a trial. It discusses preparing witnesses, focusing the witness' answers on the judge, using open-ended questions, highlighting important answers, and ending with a concluding statement. It also provides tips for cross-examining witnesses, including using leading questions to guide the witness to a specific point and maintaining control of the questioning. Overall, the document outlines best practices for examining witnesses to clearly present a case to the presiding judge.

1. The Art of Examination and
Cross Examination of Witnesses:
The Effective Way vs The
Steriotypical Way.
Prepared by- Showkat Hossain.
Additional District Judge.

2. Exmination in Chief and Cross Examination
• The examination of a witness by the party who calls him shall be
called his examination-in-chief. The examination of a witness by the
adverse party shall be called his cross-examination.
• For example- for an intended statement of “ to discuss about the
possiblity of getting some loan, Mr Ron haque sikder, called a
meeting between the DMD of AB bank and Shikder Brothers at
westin hotel on 22/3/2020. We ( AB bank) refused their request to
disburse any loan without any security. The meeting lasted for about
1 hour. At the end of the meeting the situation was heated, shikder
brothers left the meeting and before they leave, the threatenned us
by saying” kaj ta valo korlen na” where was the meeting held? What
was the purpose of the meeting? Who called the meeting? Who was
present at the meeting? What was discussed at the meeting? How
long did the meeting last? What was the result of that meeting?

3. Examination in Chief and Leading Question
• With examination in chief, the witness is allowed to tell their side of
the story. In cross-examination the witness have to answer questions
from the opposite party. You do not want the witness to tell the story.
You indicate the point you wish to make and put it to the witness’s
mouth.
• Leading questions, therefore, are used in cross-examination and the
advocate has most of the control in order to get to the point they
want to make.
• Leading questions are mostly answerable with “ yes” or “ no” – not
always though . “ was the man wearing a red or white jumper”?
• Therefore, leading questions are when you hint or put the answer in
the questions itself.

4. Order of production of witnesses
• Evidences are being taken in the following order- Examination in
chief> Cross Examination of the same witness> Re-examination of the
same witness ( if needed)
• It is a lawyer’s privilege to check the order in which he
examines his witnesses. Generally they are arranged
according to the importance and skill of the witnesses.
Prosecutor has the freedom to produce his witnesses in
order which he likes. However, the Evidence Act gives
the court power to command or order in which the
witnesses may be produced.

5. Relevancy of the Witnesses
• Only relevant facts may be called as evidence and people in
possession of relevant facts may be called as witness. The Golam
Azam case, number of defence witnesses.
• In civil suits relevancy is determined by the issues in questions. (
Issues explained)
• In criminal cases the line is kinda wide but limited to between section
5 to 55 of the evidence Act ( or by common sense). The guiding
principle is “ presumption of innocence” . Therefore, the prosecution
has to prove the guilt beyond reasonable doubt, the accused is
presumed innocent and is only expected to create some smoke or
doubt ( theft case)

6. Tips for effective Examination in Chief
• Prepare- prepare about the facts, law, judge and possible
defence. Write down your questions and your expected
answer, have some simulation before the actual stand. Also
write down what are the things you need to prove by this
witness. And, of course, prepare your witnesses.
• know the judge- this too is part of your preparation. This is a
one man show unlike the jury trial. (chintai, gorib, religious)

7. Continued
• Ensure witness faces the judge when answering
questions and is not looking at you.
• Make sure the judge takes note of the things
• Make sure your witness don’t talk too fast in order
that notes can be taken.
• Do not ask leading questions.
• Don’t ask questions answer to what is hearsay .

8. • Personalize/ humanize the witness ( how?), establish credentials ( how?
Schindler’s list, titanic, hazz, victim, memories, education, service, charity,
award, leadership)
• Keep it simple- learn to sound like an ordinary people with ordinary
wording (how?, short question, avoid legal jurgon, Start with open
questions such as how when where, why, which etc, don’t make your
witness speak like a parrot-
• Direct the focus to the witness, try to disappear from the scene, let the
judge be locked/ glued on the witness. The witness needs to be shine not
you. Please explain that to the jury.
• Why is that the case?
• Tell us how you came to that conclusion.

9. •Use visual language. ( how , help the witness show
not tell the story, ask in present tense, 70% of
neuron busy in processing images, mridu).
•Avoid sustainable objection
•Listen to the answer , don’t solely think about the
next question

10. Continued
• Use topic sentences or header. ( it works like a paragraph and keep the
witness focused and it reminds the witness about what is expected from him,
how, ) Dr. Smith, I am going to ask you about everything you did during surgery, but first I want you to tell the jury what you and Mr.
Jones discussed before the surgery.
• Emphasize on starting and ending. Start with a summary (how), end with a
punch line, if failed have a safety vulve question( how)
• Guide him and keep him focused ( ask short question, redirect him if he
deviates, neemful) keep it simple, short question, try with who what when
which how etc.
• Highlight the strong answers [ by writing down your own point, by taking a
pause]

11. Kramer Vs Kramer 1979

12. Example
• রহিমকে আহম হিহি। আমার বাড়ী থেকে রহিকমর বাড়ী আিুমাহিে
১০০ ফ
ু ট দুকর। গত ১০/২/২০২০ তাহরকে রাত অিুমাি ১২ টার হদকে
আহম হিজ বাড়ীকত ঘুহমকেহিলাম। িঠাত হিতোর িযািাকমহি শুিকত
থেকে আহম ঘুম থেকে উকঠ রিীকমর বাড়ীর হদকে থগলাম। যাওোর
েকে থদহে রাস্তা হদকে ৩ জি থলাে থদৌকড় োহলকে যাকে। তাকদর
িাকত লাঠঠ ও রামদা হিকলা। আমাকে ক্রস েরার সমে রাস্তার হিট
লযাকের আকলাকত তাকদর মধ্য থেকে আহম এেজিকে হিিকত
োরলাম। তার িাম েহরম। এই থসই েহরম, আজকেও থস থোকটে
আকি আসামীর োঠগড়াে দাড়াকিা। এরের আহম রিীকমর বাড়ীকত
প্রকবশ েরলাম। রিীকমর বাড়ীকত প্রকবশ েকর আহম থদেকত থেলাম
থয তাকদর ঘকরর সদড় দরজা ভাাংগা এবাং ঘকরর হভতকরর জজহিসেত্র
এলকমকলা।

13. Sample 2
আমার িাম ে
ু লসুম থবগম। আমার বকেস ৬৪। গত ২০১৪ সাকল
আমার স্বামী মারা যাে। আমার ১ থিকল আর এে থমকে হিকলা। থিকলটা
থিাটকবলাকতই টাইফকেড িকে মারা যাে। এই মামলার মৃত হভেঠটম
আকলো আমার বড় েিযা।কস জিিাইদি থেহস েকলকজ বাাংলাে অিাস ে
েড়কতা। এর োশাোহশ থস েুব সুন্দর গাি েরকতা এবাং আমার
বাড়ীকতই থিাকটা হশশুকদর গাি থশোকতা। আমার থমকের ইকে হিকলা
েড়াশুিা থশষ েকর হবহসএস হদকে হশক্ষে িকব।
২০২১ সাকল জুি মাকস, এই মামলার আসামী রহবি হমোর সাকে আমার
থমকের হবকে িে। হবকের হেি
ু হদি েয ে
ন্ত তারা সুকে শাহন্তকতই হিকলা।
হেন্তু ২০২১ সাকলর হডকসম্বর মাকসর হদকে আমার থমকে আমাকে
জািাে থয তার স্বামী রহবি ইোবা আসক্ত এবাং এই হিকে তাকদর সাংসাকর
অশাহন্ত থদকে হদকেকি।

14. • রহবি এেটা অসুধ্ থোোিীকত িােহর েরকতা। ২০২২ সাকলর
জািুোরী মাকসর হদকে রহবকির িােহর িকল যাে। এরের থেকে রহবি
আমার থমকে আকলোর োি থেকে থযৌতুে হিকসকব টাো েেসা িাওো
শুরু েকর। রহবি আমার থমকেকে জািাে থয থযকিতু তুহমই থতামার
মাকের সেল সেহির এেমাত্র উিরাধ্ীোরী, থযই সেহি তুহম
থতামার মাকের মৃতুযর েকর এমহিকতই োকব, থসই সেহি তুহম এেহি
হিকে আকসা এবাং বযাবসা েরার জিয আমাকে দাও। এই হিকে তাকদর
সাংসাকর অশাহন্ত িলকত োকে।
• গত ১৯/৮/২০২২ তাহরকে আসামী রহবি আমার েিযাকে হিকে আমার
বাড়ীকত থবড়াকত আকস। রাকত োওো দাওোর ের রহবি বযাবসা েরার
জিয সরাসহর আমার োকি ৩০ লক্ষ টাো িাে। আহম তাকে জািাই
থয একতা টাো থদোর সাধ্য আমাকদর িাই।

15. • এসব আকলািিা যেি িলহিল তেি রহবিকে আমার োকি
অস্বাভাহবে ও অপ্রে
ৃ তস্থ মকি িজেকলা। তাকে েুব উকিজজত ও
িটফকট থদোজেকলা। রাকত রহবি এবাং আমার েিযা আকলোকে আহম
আমাকদর উির হভঠটর ঘকর ঘুমাকত থদই। এরেকর হে িকেকি জাহিিা।
হেন্তু সোল ৭ টার হদকে রহবি একস আমার দরজা িে েকর এবাং
আমাকে জািাে থয আমার থমকে আকলো িাহে গলাে ফাস হদকেকি।
আহম সাকে সাকে ি
ু কট যাই এবাং উির হভঠটর ঘকর প্রকবশ েকর থদেকত
োই থয আমার েিযা আকলো ঘকরর বীকমর সাকে গলাে ওরণা
েযািাকিা অবস্থাে িু লকি। আহম হিতোর েকর োদকত োহে এবাং
থলােজিকে ডােকত োহে। আমার থমকের দুই ো ঠান্ডা এবাং অসাড়
থদেকত োই।

16. • থলােজি একস আমার থমকেকে িামাে। এই ফাকে আহম ঘকরর মাঠটর
থমকিকত ভাড়ী হেি
ু টািা িযািড়ার দাগ থদেকত োই। দাগগুকলা থদকে মকি
িকেকি আমার থমকেকে হবিািাে িতযা েরা িকেহিল এবাং িতযার ের তার
লাশ থটকি হিিকড় , গলাে ফাস লাহগকে বীকমর সাকে িু লাকিা িকেহিকলা
বকল থমকিকত তার দাগ েকড়কি।
• গ্রামবাসী ও প্রহতকবশী অকিকেই জকড়া িকেহিল। তাকদর সামকি আমরা
হভেঠটকমর মাোর ডাি োকশ থফালা যেম থদেকত োই। েুহলকশ েবর থদো
িকল েুহলশ একস আসামীকে আটে েকর োিাে হিকে যাে, লাকশর
সুরতিাল েকর এবাং লাশ মেিা তদকন্তর জিয িাসোতাকল োঠাে।
• েরবতীকত মেিা তদন্ত প্রহতকবদকি জািা যাে থয আসামী রহবি আমার
থমকেকে মাোে িাতুহড় হদকে আঘাত েকর িতযা েকরকি এবাং িতযাঠটকে
আত্মিতযা হিকসকব িালাকিার জিয গলাে ফাস লাহগকে তার লাশ িু হলকে
থরকেহিল।

17. • আমার এেমাত্র আদকরর েিযা থে হিম ে
মভাকব থস িতযা েকরকি।
আমাকে হিড়হদকির জিয সন্ত্বািিারা েকরকি। এই ঘটিার ের থেকে
আজ েয ে
ন্ত আহম আর ভাকলা মত ঘুমাকত োহরিা। আমার সারাক্ষি
মকি িে থয আমার থমকে িেকতা মৃতুযর আকগ বারবার তার মাকে
েুকজহিকলা, থস িেকতা থভকবহিকলা আহম তাকে রক্ষা েরকবা। আহম
এই হিম ে
ম েুহি রহবকির সকব ে
াচ্চ শাজস্ত িাই।

19. Cross Examination
• The primary purpose of cross-examination is to get answers or information
from witnesses. Lawyers can also use it to get witnesses for one side to
provide something helpful to the other side or to discredit witness
testimony by exposing some flaw or weakness.
• Constructive cross-examination involves getting the witness to say
to say something helpful, such as information that corroborates or
testimony or evidence that has been presented. [ that the next witnesses
relative or far from the place of occurrence or that your defence case might
true]
• Destructive cross-examination is designed to hurt the credibility of
credibility of testimony given by a witness.

20. Tips
• Ask yourself- Do I need to cross examine this witness?
Because it will add nothing, moreover, it will make the
judge feel like this witness was worthless- what is there to
cross examine!( seizure list’s witness when the occurrence
is admitted). Don’t let the witness reinforce his testimony.
It is more important to know what not to ask, master the
art of how to resist the temptation. [ when the witness
entered the scene after the incidence, when the witness
didn’t hurt your client, don’t remind a madmen about a
shaky bridge]

21. Continued
• Determine your goals – { goals regarding the entire case and goals
regarding this particular witness} For example to create a smoke/
raise suspicion or reasonable doubt/ attack the witness credibility/
acknowledge some key facts that will help you destroy other witness/
to make him acknowledge key facts that help your case/ “ if you don’t
know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else/ mixed
goals (make him acknowledging key facts in your favor plus destroy
credibility in other point) then take the point first then destroy the
credibility . Example of the narcotic cases starting with েেি রওিা
হদকলি, থে থে হিকলি দকল, জজহড েকরহিকলি হেিা, গাড়ীকত েকর
হগকেহিকলি িাহে মটর সাইকেকল েকর? Narcotic case when
implicated more than one accused- 51 piece yaba.

22. Continued
• Have a reasonable and believable defence.
• The funny NI Act Defence, the ridiculous no defence in
majority of the cases (আেিারা হমেযা মামলা দাকের
েকরকিি). Be truthful and believable, the tiger
example.

24. • Never forget your suggestion. Its like a chain, scatterred golds are
worthless
• Don’t jump into another topic before you make your point with the
suggestions at the end of it.

25. The PP murder case.

26. Continued
• Know when to stop – Sometimes a witness is so bad that you will feel
tempted to bury him. Don’t be a brutal bully- there is nothing personal.
When you get the gold- pick it, don’t overdo with it. Beating a lifeless
body will make you look like a thug , moreover any moment the witness
may get a chance to explain his wrong answer. Porimoni case.
• Use only leading questions- or questions the answer will either way
come in your favor. [ for example the size of the room] Don’t ask open
ended question unless you know the answer. And ask only when you
know the answer and the answer will be in your favour. For example-
আেহি হে থসলাই েরার আকগ বযাকন্ডজ গুকলা থবর েরকত ভু কল
হগকেহিকলি? don’t ask question like apni to school e jan ni’.

27. Leading question continued
• Any information delivered to the court must come from you and not
from the witness. The judge and the audience will have the feel that
this attorney is well prepared and knows the actual fact, we can trust
him. The witness will be discauraged to explain and develop a habit of
responding obediently.
• What are you wearing? Are you wearing socks? You are wearing
socks, isnt it? Is that a shirt? You have on a shirt, isnt it?
• The art of control and domination without being abusive. Demand an
answer that you are entitled to . You were wearing a blue shirt? I
guess so- it was not red? It was not green? It was not white? It was
blue right? Don’t let him get away with shady answers.

28. Continued
• Destroy the credibility – what if the witness is seemingly truthful and honest? Attack his
eyesight, perceiving capacity, my cousin vinny . compile the seemingly innocuous
mistakes the witness made, just to make a case that the witness may be truthful but not
reliable.
• Don’t overstress on silly points if your goal is to attack the truthfulness. Constructive vs
destructive. Target the confused witness-
• Only one new fact per question, only short question. You had an orange and yellow
striped shirt on that day, don’t you?its five questiob actually- shirt, more than one
colour, one is orange the other is yellow, it was striped. When one fact is posed per
question, the witness will be forced to agree with you.
• Maximize the dramatic effect. For example when you get something special, let the
answer hang in the air for few moments before you ask the next question. The silence
works. keep track of your voice tone, let the judge feel you don’t believe the witness.

29. • Be ready to ask follow-up question. Ask witness o clarify
Q-isnt it true that you had argued with the victim two days before he
was attacked.
A- Yes but I didn’t stay mad at him.
Q- is it a yes?
A- yes.
Don’t try to hard for a gottcha moment. For exapmle a witness
confirmed that the accused practice judu three times a week. Don’t ask
him further that – so that means the accused is capable of killing the
victime bare hand ( You are less likely to get an answer in your favour)

30. • Start and end with thematic primacy/ high note.
• Greetings or not? May be just a sentence. The sally case . The dark
night, the drunken state, the convicted felon, the close relative,
underage, not an eye witness start with your strongest fact/weapon.

31. Continued
• Remember , this is a show and this is not a show. So make the
court write down your points.
• Play with the psychology of the witness ask them how is the
accused as a father , ask them about his children, let him know
about the punishment [ narcotic case]
• Don’t argue with the witness. Asking question about content of
the document, witness badgering, on question of law- rephrase
your question. Have you seen the accused bitten the victims
nose? No. then how do you say the accused attacked the victim?
• Know the common tendencies of people in bd -Murder case –
diffused liability, a tendency to implicate as many people as
possible.

32. The accused

33. Examples
• The PP murder case ( the movie, shotgun)
• The ligature mark suicide case.
• The political cases
• Abrar fahad case
• You catch more bees with honey than the vinegar.
• Be humble and avoid narcissism , its not about you.

34. Recommended Court-room Movies and
Shows
• A few good men, 12 angry men ,My cousin Vinny ,Murder in the first ,
Judgment at Nuremberg , To kill a mockingbird , The accused
• Primal fear, The Verdict, The Rainmaker, A civil action, A time to Kill,
Witness for the Prosecution, In the Name of the Father, Kramer vs
Kramer, Paths of glory, The trial of the Chicago seven , Erin
Brochovich, the verdict, The people vs Larry Flynt , compulsion (
1956), nothing but the truth.
• TV shows- The people vs O. J Sympson , Better Call Saul, big little lies,
the Suits, Boston Legal, Making a Murderer, Goliath, the good fight,
the practice, Damages, the good wife, 61st street.

35. Any Question ?