Every state has its own bar exam. New York is notoriously difficult, but in Texas and California it’s not too bad. In any case, it’s good to have a few years of legal experience, may it be charleston sc to conway sc before taking the bar exam because law firms will hire people who already have licenses to practice law, so they can get their new hires into court as soon as possible.
1. It’s very helpful to have a lawyer on your side.
It would be a good idea for you to talk to some lawyers and get their opinions about your case and the legal issues involved. If you can afford it, you should definitely hire a lawyer. If you can’t, then try talking with someone at the courthouse, or go to Legal Aid (they’ll assist those who qualify for their services).
2. Wear appropriate clothing for court.
The clothes don’t have to be expensive by any means, but if you’re wearing jeans and worn-out sneakers in court, that’s not going to make a good impression on the judge or the court officials.
3. Have your hair cut and styled, if you’re a woman.
Don’t just let it grow out. Be sure to get your hair done the day before you appear in court.
4. Wear contact lenses if you wear glasses.
If you wear glasses, then you need to do something about your face, whether it’s wearing makeup or having your face cleaned up with a dermatologist’s special cosmetics removing gel (which can be found in most beauty supply stores).
5. Don’t panic during the initial appearance and pretrial hearing on Monday morning (unless the judge tells you to).
At the initial appearance and pretrial hearing, the court will be examining your petition and examining the merits of your claims (i.e., determining if you have a legitimate case against the persons you’ve accused, whether there’s sufficient evidence to make charges stick, etc.). The judge will probably ask you questions about your case and how you intend to proceed. You can answer them at this time. But don’t panic or start talking in circles when asked if you’re ready for trial.
6. Understand the calendar system.
The court uses a calendar system for your case, so you should understand how this works. The clerk’s office will assign your case to a judge, and that judge will set a trial date with both sides (plaintiffs and defendants) agreeing on it or by selecting it at random.
Once you have a final trial date on the calendar, then you might want to try renegotiating with the other side in order to get a settlement deal that’s more favorable to you. Either way, you should be prepared before going into trial with all of your claims, whether they’re based on negligence or breach of contract or whatever the case may be.
7. If you’re a case management client, then you should understand the role of the court-appointed chairperson.
If you’re a case management client, then there will be someone appointed to assist in your case who is going to come up with an idea or a strategy for moving forward.
The court sometimes appoints a chairperson who’s an attorney and that attorney will consult with his or her clients (usually witnesses) regarding what actions they’re going to take in the weeks leading up to and just before trial.
You’ll want to talk with your attorney about what their role and responsibilities are, so that you know how things are going to be handled in the weeks leading up to and just after trial.
8. If you’re going to trial under a case management client, then you should understand the role of the court-appointed chairperson.
The chairperson will be responsible for helping you with your case management strategy and setting up deadlines for when certain things must be done.
If the judge denies your requests or motions, then you might want to try reaching a new agreement with the other side before it’s too late.
9. Hire a translator if your English isn’t good enough to understand court proceedings.
If you speak English but you’re not very good at it, then you might want to consider hiring a translator. This is something that you should get done before trial because it will give you the best chance of winning your case.
10. Don’t wear the same clothes to court that your opponent has worn to court (especially if they have an attorney).
If your opponent and his attorney come into court wearing matching clothing, then don’t wear the same thing to court unless you want the judge to think that it was a coordinated effort on your part.
11. Be prepared for questions about why you did what you did in applying for public assistance.
It could get tricky if the judge asks you why you decided to apply for public assistance, what your job history is like and why you didn’t seek employment in the private sector instead of accepting government funds.
12. Don’t miss court dates!
If your case is continued, then try not to miss any future court dates because there will be a new judge assigned to hear your case. You’ll have to go through the motions of filing a new petition and getting another date set by visiting the clerk’s office.