Witness Show and Tell

Facts are subjective or objective. “Both things and events are objective facts. They exist in the public domain and are in principle accessible to all.”  D. Q. McInerny, Being Logical (Random House paperback 2005) at 5. But there is a difference between a subjective fact and an objective fact. A headache is an example of a subjective fact. Id. at 6. The headache sufferer has direct evidence of the headache. Id. When it is another person who is hearing about the headache it can only be indirectly established. “Establishing the reality of subjective facts depends entirely on the trustworthiness of those who claim to be experiencing them.” Id. When the fact is an existing thing to which the listener has access to view it becomes objective and we need not “trust” the speaker.

What about a fact demonstrated through show and tell. When we show and tell we eliminate communication problems that occur when our spoken word is not interpreted in the way we mean to convey. When we show and tell the listener sees our subjective fact closer to an objective fact. This is because our listener is given visual cues about the fact.

When we have our witness at trial show and tell what has occurred rather than tell what has occurred the facts rise to a higher level. This is because the jury is able to experience the facts rather than just hear the facts. The facts come to life through the witness as she speaks in the present tense and recreates the event by showing and telling what occurred. 

This may be done the traditional way from the witness stand. If movement is helpful the witness may be allowed to go into the well of the courtroom. There witness explains the scene to the jury. She may use props such as council table, chair or books to set the scene. She then relives the scene in a show and tell fashion.  As the saying goes seeing is believing and the jury is allowed to see through witness show and tell.

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