Names and Identities in Courtroom Narratives

This study seeks to examine how the use of names serves to accomplish the process of identity construction in institutional discourse. Drawing upon six opening addresses from three high-profile trials, the study analyzes the forms, functions, and frequency of names that lawyers use to refer to defen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Names 2019-10, Vol.67 (4), p.185-198
Main Author: Chaemsaithong, Krisda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
courtroom
Courts
Identity
Institutional discourse
legal
name
Narratives
Negotiation
opening address
Qualitative research
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Summary:This study seeks to examine how the use of names serves to accomplish the process of identity construction in institutional discourse. Drawing upon six opening addresses from three high-profile trials, the study analyzes the forms, functions, and frequency of names that lawyers use to refer to defendants and victims in their narratives. The quantitative and qualitative analysis reveals that the prosecution and the defense differ starkly in how they use names to construct the identities of the characters. Such systematic differences contribute to ascribing polarized identities to the characters, which in effect negotiates reality by (de)legitimizing guilt and responsibility claims and mediating jurors' perceptions.
ISSN:0027-7738
1756-2279
DOI:10.1080/00277738.2018.1490515