Courtroom Communication: Nonverbal Messages Employed by the Lawyer and the Witness During Court Trials

Abstract

This study aimed to find out the nonverbal messages employed by the lawyer and the witness during a court trial and the functions that these nonverbal messages served. A total of 24 trials had been observed with the aid of another observer. The nonverbal message had to occur in the same context for at least KJ times which is 40% of the number of trials observed in order to warrant a pattern. The participants of the study are 18 witness. (12 males, six females). Also. 16 lawyers have been observed. (I I males, five females). The findings revealed that the nonverbal cues employed by the lawyers are (1) bodily movements, specifically, hands holding on to objects which serve the regulating, complementing, and accenting functions, hand to face movements which serve the complementing and substituting functions, hands moving at the same time that the lawyer is asking which serves the accenting and regulating functions, and raising a hand toward the witness’ face which serves the regulating function. (2) posture. specifically, leaning forward which serves the regulating function. (3) spatial communication. specifically, standing to ask the witness which serves the complementing and regulating functions, and (4) vocal behavior specifically increasing the volume of voice which serves the regulating and accenting functions. Observations of the witness revealed patterns in (1) bodily communication, specifically, hands to demonstrate or illustrate which serve complementing and repealing functions, hands moving while answering which serves the regulating function, and holding on to objects while answering which serves the complementing function. (2) posture. specifically, hands clasped together which serves the contradicting function and selling up which serves the complementing function, and (3) eye behavior, specifically, shifting eye gaze which serves the complementing function, future researchers are recommended to obtain interviews from the lawyers and the witnesses and consider their age and sex in the analysis of the data.