“You hold your ground,” she said firmly. “You stay calm, no matter what they say. You don’t raise your voice. You don’t cry on the stand unless you have to. You look that judge in the eye and tell the truth. And you do it respectfully.”
I nodded slowly, burning her words into my memory. “I can do that.”
Ina softened a bit, the steel in her eyes giving way to something more personal. “Good. Because this is just the beginning. Tomorrow isn’t about winning or losing—it’s about getting a feel for their angle. They won’t make a decision yet.”
I exhaled. That helped. A little.
“How many hearings do you think we’ll have?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Depends on how things unfold. If the case stays clean and doesn’t get too complicated, three hearings should be enough. But there’s one thing I know
