Dear Lawyer | Jikook ff

15 - Courtroom (ii)

Seated in a glass booth, Joshua Dale did not immediately understand what that hand gesture meant and was a little confused as to what was going on. He looked at Jungkook, uncomprehending and uneasy.

Until Judge Murray Liu spoke. "Lawyer Jeon, are you sure you wish to opt out of your opening statement?"

Joshua Dale, "......................................."

He felt his heart has burst. He slowly opened his mouth, but his brain had already imploded.

Opt out of the opening statement?!

Are you kidding me?

He didn't understand anything profound. He only knew that the court always had a back and forth—you say five points, I refute five points—to have material to continue the debate to its end. But his lawyer ended up giving up one round as soon as he went up?

The people at the back of the courtroom who had, with their documents, come to observe the trial went deafeningly silent for five seconds, then abruptly blazed with discussion.

It wasn't that it was not permitted to opt out of the opening statement, but in these people's limited experience as courtroom spectators, they had never seen this practice in reality. After all, opting out of one round meant giving up on a chance to convince the jury and the judge.

"Silence!" Murray Liu banged his gavel.

The courtroom once again returned to silence. Murray Liu peered down at the defence table.

Jungkook nodded. "Yes."

Amidst the stunned stares of the whole courtroom, only Jimin was relaxed and even approving.

Long ago, he had once given his students some advice. He said,

"It is useless to slam your argument point by point on a judge or jury when they themselves have pre-existing bias. Even if your words are impassioned, it may end up being counterproductive. There are some people who already have a preconceived outcome in mind and find it difficult to accept contrary statements. Especially if they aren't open to persuasion, no matter how much reason you speak, they would refute you line by line in their heads. How do I put it... it's probably a type of reverse psychology that makes them want to rebel at the drop of a hat."

Rather than forcing the other person to accept your conclusion, why not throw out a lead, and let them draw that conclusion on their own?

If it was something that they themselves thought of, would others still need to persuade them into it?

Just like in the present situation; for a judge like Murray Liu, for an unruly place like Wine City, giving up the opening statement was an excellent defence strategy.

It would even stimulate another type of reverse psychology in some people —the less you say, the more I want to hear.

Use retreat as an advance, use defence as an attack.

Even if Jungkook's move wasn't influenced by Jimin's words from back then, Professor Park was still very pleased.

This emperor, regally seated with his swollen leg, spun the electronic pen in his hand, and wrote a confident 'A' grade on the blank pages he had created.

As Jungkook gave up the opening statement, the trial quickly proceeded to the next round.

The prosecutor began to call the corresponding witnesses up one by one according to the trail of evidence.

The first to take the witness stand was no stranger to Jimin and Jungkook.

It was a tall and strong man who looked slightly menacing due to the scar on his face.