Can't cope with going to court

[Helen123]

Iv been given a court citation for being a witness and I feel like there's no way I can deal with it. I feel sick right now thinking about having to stand up and talk in front of everybody.

The court date was originally in March so I went along not really thinking about the reality of what would happen, I hoped that it would be just over in 5 minutes but instead I sat in a packed tiny room full of strangers for 3 hours, it was the longest 3 hours ever and I just sat there on the verge of a panic attack the whole time. Someone then came through and said the trial was adjourned till July..

If I went yo my doctor and explained how I feel would I be able to get a sick kind to get out of it?

Please give me advise someone, I'm so worried about it.

[Ryan92]

Hi Helen, its definitely worth checking with your doctor about getting some kind of sick note/letter. Im sure it will help :) and if you explain the situation with your doctor they'll understand. Maybe your doctor could write a letter explaining your anxiety and then send it via email or you could post it to the court building. If you don't know the address, Im sure you could find it online.

I go to my doctor to receive a sick note every 3 months as I currently cant work due to my anxiety issues.

I remember a few months ago, somewhere I used to go, to look for work and now have appointments over the phone on how to help me get back to looking for a job. I felt they were pushing me saying 'are you feeling any better yet' and 'can you start looking for a job yet' or 'can you come in and see us'. This made me much more anxious so I asked my doctor for a letter explaining my anxiety in detail to show them. Since then they've stopped being so pushy.

I would have felt the exact same if I was in a room with many people, in the past when Ive been in a room with a lot of people I normally go very quiet and try and avoid everyone such as not speaking, avoiding eye contact.

Hope you feel better soon :)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Did you the police officer who dealt with you explain about Special Measures?

I would suggest you talk to them about your issues as they are duty bound by law to support you through this process. There maybe some measures which they can adopt to help you through this.

Ultimately, I very much doubt it is within the power of your GP because the court has the ability to override doctors if they need to. I guess it depends on how much you add to the case but if your evidence is key to secure a conviction or key to secure an acquittal, I suspect they would ask the presiding judge to override. The court can summons us all to attend unless there is some form of lack of ability to give evidence which is covered in this literature.

They may ask you to provide something from your GP to prove any disability though. They can ask for this if you are called for Jury Service as well, but they tend not to bother if you tick the mental disabilities box.

I suggest you have a look through this and then contact them for some support.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/v_to_z/victims_and_witnesses_who_have_mental_health_issue s_and_or_learning_disabilities_-_prosecution_guidance/#a11

It won't hurt to talk to your GP about how to cope with it though. The CPS may request you provide something from your GP to show any mental disorder anyway, which they state in Jury Service as a requirement if they ask you to provide it.


Your anxiety is making you think it over constantly I'm betting. Try to use relaxation techniques and anything that can distract you. I know this sounds lame, it's just if anything can help, try it.

[Rennie1989]

As a witness I don't quite think you'll be able to not go to court, unlike if you were on jury service. As a witness you are helping the court present the facts to the jury, to enable them to give a verdict. It could depend how vital your involvement is, so it's worth speaking to your doctor and the court about this situation. As said above it is the courts duty to ensure that everybody who goes to court feels safe.

I have been doing a lot of research on the courts and the law for my novel and I just want to point out that court on the TV is absolutely not what it's like in real life. You'll be asked questions by one side and cross examined by the other. There is always a chance that the lawyer will not actually call you up, but that depends on what you saw/know and how important that could be to the case.

Can I ask what aspect of the court is worrying you? I'm no law student or lawyer but I've done plenty of research that I could either help relieve your anxieties or send you information sheets.

What I would advise is to visit the court in question (Magistrates or Crown), sit in the public gallery and watch a case or two. You'll see exactly how the court runs, where the people sit and how the barristers/solicitors give their statements, line of questioning, cross-examination and closing statement. You'll also see how everybody in the court communicate, from the clerk saying 'All rise' to the little chit-chats between judge and barrister (which can be funny sometimes).

I hope this helps, if only a little.