“May it Please the Court”: Tips for First Court Appearances

Your first court appearance can feel like stepping onto a stage without a script—whether you're freshly licensed or simply standing before an unfamiliar judge. The stakes feel high, the procedures may seem intimidating, and even seasoned lawyers can feel a jolt of nerves in new surroundings or when standing before a newly appointed judge who has just taken the bench.

The American Bar Association recently published an article titled, "Pleasing the Court." The article surveyed 20 judges from around the United States (both state and federal) who provided tips on how to prepare for your first court appearance. Lawyers Mutual recommends that you read the entire article for all of the tips provided. But the following information from the article provides practical tips to help you succeed during your first court appearance, and walk out with valuable experience while leaving a good first impression.

10 Tips for How to Succeed in Your First Court Appearance

  1. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting to court early in order to introduce yourself to the judge and the staff before court.” This can make an excellent first impression.” – Judge Michelle Leigh Helhoski, Cherokee County State Court, Georgia
  2. “One of my pet peeves is when lawyers are not fully prepared and attempt to shift blame onto others.” – Justice Jesse Reyes, Illinois Appellate Court
  3. “You can start your argument off by saying something to the effect of, “The motion to dismiss should be denied for three reasons,” so that if you get interrupted while you’re still on your first point, the judge will know you have two more.” – Senior Judge Amy Berman Jackson, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  4. “Try to be the most reasonable person in the room, not the loudest or most strident.” – Chief Judge James Boasberg, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  5. “You are building a reputation with the court from your very first appearance, and if you make misstatements to the court – even if its unintentional because you don’t know your case as well as you should – that is going to reflect poorly on you.” – Judge Jennifer A. Mabey, Utah Fourth District Court
  6. “For conferences, demonstrate that you are capable of moving from argument mode to problem-solving mode. Be practical, reasonable and nonargumentative.” – Judge Jordan Yeager, Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
  7. “Collegiality is worth its weight in gold, both from a human relations standpoint and often even for your client’s own best interests.” – U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Patti, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  8. “Listen to the questions asked. This goes for both nervous and non-nervous people. Lawyers are too focused on what they want to say and what they think judges want to hear. And so they don’t listen to what judges ask, or they don’t pay attention to the order in which things occur.” – Judge Barbara Leach, Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
  9. “Being prepared is very important to making a positive first impression. I think it is also extremely helpful for attorneys to have the confidence to advise a judge when the attorney believes the judge is mistaken or assumes a fact that is either incorrect or outside the record or in dispute. Making a clear and correct record is taken seriously by judges, and good attorneys do not hesitate to respectfully assist the court.” – Judge Brian Hill, Santa Barbara County Superior Court, California 
  10. “I believe that decorum matters a great deal in a civilized society. It may be my implicit bias, but if an attorney shows up in a suit that looks like it was just pulled out of the laundry hamper, it signals to me—and worse, to the client—that you are unprepared and not taking court seriously. If you come in wearing a pot T-shirt, it affects me.” – Magistrate Arnie Beckman, Denver County Court

Lawyers Mutual would also point out that talking to colleagues and other members of your local Bar Association can be an invaluable tool in obtaining practice tips about judges with whom you are unfamiliar. Unless the judge is brand new to the bench, there is a high likelihood that one of your colleagues or peers has appeared before that particular judge. If so, they can provide you with tips and advice on how the judge runs their courtroom and how counsel is expected to conduct themselves. These tips can also serve as a helpful reminder to more seasoned practitioners of how not get on the judge’s radar in a bad way.