How To Cross Examination
How To Cross Examination
How To Cross Examination
November 18, 2019November 27, 2019 Aamer Shahzad Abbasi Blawgs, Commentary3
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How to Conduct Cross Examination Effectively
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Nothing great was ever achieved without
enthusiasm.” Similarly, when working on a legal case, a wise strategy must be
prepared before entering the courtroom. As far as testing the knowledge and
credibility of a witness during trial is concerned, different techniques and
tactics can be utilized. Cross-examination is a method to not only ask questions
and get the truth out of a witness, it can also control anything adverse that the
witness might say during questioning. Cross-examination is a form of art which can
be learned through training, practice and experience.
Lawyers can prepare well for cross-examination and use impeachment as a tool to
assess the strength, weakness and worthiness of the evidence presented by a witness
as well as the credibility of the witness before the court, for instance if a
witness statement is inconsistent, if the witness is a convict, if the memory of
the witness is unreliable, or other objections raised against the testimony of the
witness.
All laws related to evidence in all courts of Pakistan have been addressed under
the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 which altered the Evidence Act 1872. Chapter 10 of
the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 deals with cross-examination of a witness and
describes the whole procedure.
Moreover, many comprehensive law journals, research papers and articles on cross-
examination have been written by authors and columnists, which can help lawyers and
cross-examiners in understanding the method of cross-examination from different
perspectives:
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily
represent the views of CourtingTheLaw.com or any other organization with which he
might be associated.