Courtroom Interruption and Gender

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Meizhen Liao
Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China

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Abstract

Based on the author’s previous research and study in courtroom interruption (2004, 2009, and 2013) this paper continues to explore the phenomenon by focusing on how interruption is related with gender in Chinese courtroom discourse as the number of lady legal professionals is very impressive. Drawing on the accurate and authentic transcripts of 10 courtroom trials, this paper examines the interrelationship of interruption and gender in terms of number, causes, positions and patterns of interruption and arrives at the conclusion that there is a sharp contrast in interruption between gentlemen legal professionals and lady legal professionals in that ladies are more aggressive in courtroom discourse in the four aspects in interruption examined in the paper and a tentative explanation is also offered for the difference. It is hoped that the results and findings of the present study will contribute to a better understanding, as well as improvement of Chinese courtroom communication among trial participants in court, and provide implications for training of legal professionals so as to promote legal justice.