The Do's and Don'ts of Testifying in a Family Case
While the "Law and Order" or Denny Krane cross-examination is the stuff television audiences crave, judges do not revel in drama. As the one in the hot seat, certain courtroom decorum is appropriate and can make or break your case. The following is a list of what you should do when you find yourself in the middle of a family case, either as a party or simply a witness (not an expert witness): 1. Tell the truth. You are under oath and there is threat of perjury should you "bend" the truth. Hopefully the truth shall set you free. The converse is true. Don't box yourself in by lies.

Things to Do Before you File a Family Case
1. Take down any offensive information from social networking sites. MySpace, Facebook and personal blogs are your public face. Your status of "married/single" or "looking for love" could be the lynchpin in a divorce action with allegations of infidelity. Likewise, mention of drug/alcohol use, photos of you partying, and inappropriate content may be judicial admissions against you in a custody case.2. Do not threaten the oppposing party, harass them with texts or phonecalls or tell them that you are about to file suit. Text messages, e-mails and phone records are discoverable material in a case, so be careful what you say. There co