The decision to testify or to remain silent at your criminal trial is one you should consider with your attorney. In most cases, it is the wiser route to remain silent. But many factors must be considered. Jurors generally want to hear from the defendant to take a stand and proclaim his or her innocence, or at least explain their side. Your credibility will be heavily weighed by the jury, if you do choose to be a witness for your own case. Remember to consult your attorney before making any decisions about testifying.

1. S o l Y uT si a
h u d o e tf t
y
Y u C i n l ra?
o r rmi a T il

2. Y u C n t u in l i h t
o r o si t a R g t o
t o
R man S ln
e i i t
e
T eFfh A n me t ot eU. . o s i t n p o i e
h i
t me d n t h
S C n t ui
t o r vd s
t a n p r o “ h lb c mp l d i a yc i n l a e
h t o e s n s al e o el n n rmi a c s
e
t b awi e sa an t i ef T i p ii g a an t
o e
t s g i s h ms l ” h s rvl e g i s
n
.
e
s l i c i n t n me n t a y u c n o b f r e t
ef n rmi a i
o
a s h t o a n t e oc d o
t s i a y u c i n l ra. o ma c o s , n t a ,
e t y t o r rmi a til Y u
f
y h o e ise d
t r man sln .
o e i i t
e

3. F c o st C n i e
a t r o o sd r
T ed cso t t s i o r man sln i o ey u wi
h e iin o e t y r e i i t s n o
f
e
l
l
ma ei c n u c in wi y u c i n l e e s a t r e .
k n o jn t
o
t o r rmi a d f n e to n y
h
W h l c n e t n l s o d c a e t a , n mo t a e ,
i o v n i a wid m it t s h t i
e
o
s css
t ewiec oc i n t ot s i , e e a f c o smu t e
h
s h ie s o t e t y s v r l a t r
f
sb
c n ie e .
o sd r d

4. NoI f r n eo Gu l
nee c f i
t
T ep o e u o ma n t o
h rs c tr
y o c mme t n y u
n o or
r f s l ot s i ; u o sma n t n e
eu a t e t y j r r
f
y o if r
g i b s d o y u sln e
ul a e n o r i c .
t
e

5. R a o a l Do b a d t e
e s n be
u t n h
P e u t no I n c n e
r s mp i
o fn oe c
F n a n a t o rs s e o c i n l u t ei t e
u d me t l o u y t m f rmi a j s i s h
c
p i cp et a e e yd f n a t sp e u d i n c n ,
rn i l h t v r e e d n i r s me n o e t
u t p o e g i yb y n ar a o a l d u t T i
n i r v n ul e o d
l
t
e s n be o b . h s
me n t a y u d n t a et p o ey u i n c n e
a s h t o o o h v o rv o rn o e c ;
t eb r e r s se t eywi t ep o e u in t p o e
h ud n e t ni l
r
t h rs c t
h
o o rv
e c ee n o t ec i c a g d b y n a r a o a l
a h lme t f h rme h r e , e o d
e s n be
d u t T u , f h p o e u in h sn t r v d i c s ,
o b . h s it e r s c t
o a o po e t a e
s
o y u a t r e h ss c e d d i c e t g r a o a l
r o r to n y a u c e e n r a i
n e s n be
d u t n c o s e a n t n t e i i l eyi y u b s
o b o r s - x mi a i , h n t s i l n o r e t
o
k
i t r s st r man sln .
nee t o e i i t
e

6. T eR g r o
h
io s f
C o sE a n t n
r s - x mi a i
o
C o s e a n t n i n t o t ef i t f
r s - x mi a i s o f r h an o
o
h a t T ep o e u o wi e p ot v r
e r. h r s c t r l x li e e y
l
o p ru i t i e c y u t s i n ,
p o t n t o mp a h o r e t
y
mo y
u d r n y u c e i it , n p k
n e mi e o r r d b l y a d o e
i
h lsi y u s o y
oe n o r t r .

7. Ot e wieI a misb e
h r s n d s il
E ie c
vd n e
T es o eo c o s e a n t n g n r l i l t d
h c p f r s - x mi a i
o e e al s i e
y
mi
b t es o eo t ewi e s d r c t s i n . o r
y h cp fh
t s ’ ie t e t
n
mo y Y u
t s i n i a v re t mi h “ p n t ed o ”f r
et
mo y n d e t n l
y g toe h or o
t ep o e u o t q e t n y u a o t vd n et a
h r s c t r o u si
o o b u e ie c h t
o h r s wo l h v b e i a misb e( . .
t e wie
u d a e e n n d s i l eg ,
p irc n it n o p iri c n it n s a e n s .
ro o vc i s r ro n o ss e t t t me t )
o

8. Y u T e r o De e s
o r h o y f fn e
C ran d f n e ( . . s l d f n e e ta me t g o
e t i e e s s e g , ef e e s ; n r p n ; o d
f i )a emo el eyt c ryt ed yi t ed f n a t
at
h r
r i l o a r h a f h ee d n
k
t s i e . f o a er li g o o eo t e ed f n e ,
e t is I y u r eyn n n f h s e e s s
f
y u ma wa t ot s i , s e il i y u h v n p ir
o
y
n t e t y e p cal f o a e o ro
f
y
c n it n o a t o d s o e t o y u r c r , n
o vc i s r c s f ih n s y n o r e o d a d
o
y u a ea l t o f race ra d p a sb ee p a a in
o r b e o fe
la n l u i l x l n t
o
f ry u a t n .
o o r ci s
o

9. J r r W a t oHe rF o t e
uos
n t
a rm h
De e d n
fn a t
J r r g n r l wa t h a c s d t t k t e
u o s e e al
y
n te cu e o a e h
s a d a d p o li h si n c n eo , t h v r
t n n r cam i n o e c r a t e e y
la t e p an h ssd o t es o y E e s , u o s
e s , x li i i e f h t r . v n o j r r
k o h w mu h ac i n l e e d n s a d t
nw o
c
rmi a d f n a t t n s o
ls i h i c n it d a d t n t ve t e
o e f e s o vc e , n e d o iw h
d f n a t t s i n wi ad g e o s e t im.
ee d n ’ e t
s
mo y t
h
e re f k pi s
c

10. Y u C e i i t a aW i e s
o r r dbl y s
i
t s
n
I t ej r d e n t eiv y u t s i n , h ywi
fh uy o s o b l e o r et
e
mo y t e
l
l
c n it o , e a d e so t es o t o n si t e
o vc y u r g r ls f h h rc mi g n h
p o e u in sc s . d f n a t t s i n
r s c t ’ a e A ee d n ’ e t
o
s
mo y
b c me t eman e e t t ra, n t ej r ma
eo s h
i v n a til a d h u y
y
d cd t ec s b s d o wh t e o n t h y
e ie h a e a e n
eh r r o t e
b l v y u r g r ls o t eweg t f t e
ei e o , e a d e s f h
e
ih o o h r
e i e c o t ej d esi s r c in o r a o a l
vd n e r h u g ’ n tu t s n e s n b e
o
du t
o b.

11. T l t a E p r n e Ci n l
ak o n x e i c d r
e
mia
De e s A t r e
f n e to n y
Ul ma ey t ed cso t t s i o t r man sln
t
i t l, h e iin o e t y r o e i i t
f
e
i y u st ma eao e A e p re c d c i n l
s or o
k ln . n x e in e rmi a
d f n ea t r e c n a ay et ef c so y u
e e s to n y a n lz h a t f o r
p riu a st a in a d h l y u ma ea i f r d
a t lr i t
c
u o n ep o
k n n o me
d cso t a wi p o e t o rb s i t r s s
e iin h t l r t c y u e t n e e t .
l