Jefferson Fisher

It's common to use such questions to build a chronology of the events from a witness's particular point of view. At all times, I made sure I was kind and polite. 90% because that's my personality. And I'd be lying if it wasn't 10% out of just sheer self-preservation. He was not someone I wanted to upset.

But no matter how many softball questions I asked, Bobby LaPre was becoming increasingly agitated. I'd seen it enough times in my experience to know. His eyebrows began furrowing with each answer, a sign of negative emotion. His breathing got heavier as he switched from exhaling through his nose to exhaling through his mouth, a sign of increased stress.

But no matter how many softball questions I asked, Bobby LaPre was becoming increasingly agitated. I'd seen it enough times in my experience to know. His eyebrows began furrowing with each answer, a sign of negative emotion. His breathing got heavier as he switched from exhaling through his nose to exhaling through his mouth, a sign of increased stress.

But no matter how many softball questions I asked, Bobby LaPre was becoming increasingly agitated. I'd seen it enough times in my experience to know. His eyebrows began furrowing with each answer, a sign of negative emotion. His breathing got heavier as he switched from exhaling through his nose to exhaling through his mouth, a sign of increased stress.

He started wringing his massive hands together as he spoke, a sign of anxiety. It didn't matter what I did. It seemed as if just my entire existence in the room offended him. I could sense the tension around the table heightening the more displeased Bobby LaPre looked, like I was blowing up a balloon and it was about to pop. Finally, I asked him, Mr. LaPre, would you like a break?

He started wringing his massive hands together as he spoke, a sign of anxiety. It didn't matter what I did. It seemed as if just my entire existence in the room offended him. I could sense the tension around the table heightening the more displeased Bobby LaPre looked, like I was blowing up a balloon and it was about to pop. Finally, I asked him, Mr. LaPre, would you like a break?

He started wringing his massive hands together as he spoke, a sign of anxiety. It didn't matter what I did. It seemed as if just my entire existence in the room offended him. I could sense the tension around the table heightening the more displeased Bobby LaPre looked, like I was blowing up a balloon and it was about to pop. Finally, I asked him, Mr. LaPre, would you like a break?

The room went silent. No, Bobby LaPre said, clearing his throat, but I got something to say. his words rang out louder than necessary. So much so that the court reporter jumped. I quickly glanced at the other attorney who couldn't have been younger than 65. He looked more nervous than I was.

The room went silent. No, Bobby LaPre said, clearing his throat, but I got something to say. his words rang out louder than necessary. So much so that the court reporter jumped. I quickly glanced at the other attorney who couldn't have been younger than 65. He looked more nervous than I was.

The room went silent. No, Bobby LaPre said, clearing his throat, but I got something to say. his words rang out louder than necessary. So much so that the court reporter jumped. I quickly glanced at the other attorney who couldn't have been younger than 65. He looked more nervous than I was.

When we locked eyes, he gave me a wide-eyed look and slowly shook his head as if to say, if this goes south, you're on your own. I turned back to look at my witness. Yes, sir, I inquired. Bobby LaPre took a big breath in and said, You can cut all this buddy-buddy stuff. Except he didn't say stuff. You lawyers, you're the worst thing to happen to America, he continued. All you do is lie.

When we locked eyes, he gave me a wide-eyed look and slowly shook his head as if to say, if this goes south, you're on your own. I turned back to look at my witness. Yes, sir, I inquired. Bobby LaPre took a big breath in and said, You can cut all this buddy-buddy stuff. Except he didn't say stuff. You lawyers, you're the worst thing to happen to America, he continued. All you do is lie.

When we locked eyes, he gave me a wide-eyed look and slowly shook his head as if to say, if this goes south, you're on your own. I turned back to look at my witness. Yes, sir, I inquired. Bobby LaPre took a big breath in and said, You can cut all this buddy-buddy stuff. Except he didn't say stuff. You lawyers, you're the worst thing to happen to America, he continued. All you do is lie.

He slammed his hand down on the table, then drew it upward with a pointed finger at me, saying, So go on and ask me your stupid questions. Just know, I don't trust you as far as I can throw you. I'm telling you, lawyers, you're the worst thing to happen to this country, he repeated. The court reporter gave an anxious look. At that moment, a hundred thoughts raced through my mind.

He slammed his hand down on the table, then drew it upward with a pointed finger at me, saying, So go on and ask me your stupid questions. Just know, I don't trust you as far as I can throw you. I'm telling you, lawyers, you're the worst thing to happen to this country, he repeated. The court reporter gave an anxious look. At that moment, a hundred thoughts raced through my mind.

He slammed his hand down on the table, then drew it upward with a pointed finger at me, saying, So go on and ask me your stupid questions. Just know, I don't trust you as far as I can throw you. I'm telling you, lawyers, you're the worst thing to happen to this country, he repeated. The court reporter gave an anxious look. At that moment, a hundred thoughts raced through my mind.

First, I'm well accustomed to the derogatory stereotype of attorneys, especially personal injury attorneys. I try very hard to work against it, though it's a reputation that some attorneys, frankly, rightly deserve. So a put-down joke or a snide remark about my profession is nothing new. I understood. Second, I didn't blame him for not trusting me.

First, I'm well accustomed to the derogatory stereotype of attorneys, especially personal injury attorneys. I try very hard to work against it, though it's a reputation that some attorneys, frankly, rightly deserve. So a put-down joke or a snide remark about my profession is nothing new. I understood. Second, I didn't blame him for not trusting me.

First, I'm well accustomed to the derogatory stereotype of attorneys, especially personal injury attorneys. I try very hard to work against it, though it's a reputation that some attorneys, frankly, rightly deserve. So a put-down joke or a snide remark about my profession is nothing new. I understood. Second, I didn't blame him for not trusting me.

Not because I was trying to mislead him, but because to his mind, I represented all the bad things he ever thought he knew or had heard of about the law, lawyers, or the system. Of course, he had no reason to trust me. I understood. It was the stupid questions that got me. Now, I know good and well that I do many, many stupid things every day. But what I don't do is ask stupid questions.