Trial Preparation Checklist
Trial Preparation Checklist
law, govt & politics / law enforcement

Trial Preparation Checklist

A checklist makes lawyers and the team feel prepared for trial

Nalanda Robson
Nalanda Robson
19th July 2017
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Timeline
Week before trial

1

Organise most neccessary witness who support your claim

Arrange Witness
Week before trial
0 / 1
2

For witnesses who refuse to come to court

Court Orders
Week before trial
0 / 3
18

Let the security guards know you will be coming, in how many days

Courthouse Security
Week before trial
19

Visit courtroom and examine the room in advance

Courthouse Layout
Week before trial
0 / 6
20

Obtain a copy of the jury list

Courthouse Personnel
Week before trial
21

Find out when you can get in to the building and into the courtroom.

Courthouse Personnel
Week before trial
22

Find out if someone will need to escort you

Courthouse Personnel
Week before trial
23

Find out if they have any special procedures during trial

Courthouse Personnel
Week before trial
24

Leave business card with courtroom bailoff, clerk, security guard etc.

Courthouse Personnel
Week before trial
25

Child's school box makes a nice trial box for tools and equipments

Trial Box
Week before trial
0 / 14
26

Phone numbers handy can be a lifesaver during trial

Important numbers
Week before trial
0 / 5

Timeline
Two weeks before trial

4

Evidence Logs

Documentations
Two weeks before trial
5

Scene Diagrams

Documentations
Two weeks before trial
6

Video (witness statements, scene)

Documentations
Two weeks before trial
7

Photographs

Documentations
Two weeks before trial
8

Interview consents

Consent and release forms
Two weeks before trial
9

Medical records consents

Consent and release forms
Two weeks before trial
10

Financial records consents

Consent and release forms
Two weeks before trial

Timeline
Thirty Days Before Trial

27

Deposition exhibits

Exhibit List
Thirty Days Before Trial
28

Begin a trial witness list.

Witness List
Thirty Days Before Trial
29

Keep notes for items who are responsible for

Paralegal Trial Notebook
Thirty Days Before Trial
0 / 7

Timeline
Sixty Days Before Trial

3

Lab results

Documentations
Sixty Days Before Trial
11

Review expert reports for accuracy in view of discovery evidence

Experts
Sixty Days Before Trial
12

Ensure that witness statements retain litigation privilege

Protection Privilege
Sixty Days Before Trial
13

Qualify your expert before trail

Experts
Sixty Days Before Trial
14

Prepare and discuss all relevant legal aspects of testimony

Experts
Sixty Days Before Trial
15

Discuss attorney-client privilege with expert witnes

Experts
Sixty Days Before Trial
16

Explain the different grounds where expert can be impeached

Experts
Sixty Days Before Trial
17

Review the protection for communications between attorney and expert witness

Experts
Sixty Days Before Trial

Timeline
After Trial

30

Provide court reporter with page and line numbers of portions of depositions read into the record.

Deposition Excerpts
After Trial
31

Send juror survey to poll jurors why they decided the verdict

Juror Survey
After Trial
32

Good manners to send thank-you letters regardless of verdict

Juror Thank you Letters
After Trial