When Your Energy Becomes a Distraction in the Courtroom

Question for you.

Have you ever sat next to someone—your spouse, a colleague, a client—who just won’t stop bouncing their knee?

Dit. Dit. Dit. Dit.

Most of us have experienced this. So here’s the real question:

How does it make you feel?

For me, that kind of motion immediately ramps me up. It increases anxiety, heightens stress, and makes it harder to focus. And logically, it shouldn’t affect me at all. It’s their body. Their movement. Why should it matter?

But it does.

How Other People’s Energy Affects Us

There’s something fascinating—and important—about how someone else’s frenetic, undirected energy can impact us.

Energy that’s bubbling over without purpose…

Energy that’s just looking for somewhere to go…

It doesn’t stay contained.

And in the courtroom, that matters.

If you bring too much frenetic energy into the room, it can seriously impair a jury’s ability to learn, process information, and stay regulated. That’s the exact opposite of what you want.

Let’s Be Clear: Energy Is Not the Enemy

I want to be very clear about something.

We want energy in the courtroom.

You’ve heard me talk before about the importance of being generous with your energy—how strategic expression gives jurors permission to feel for your client and engage emotionally with the story. That kind of energy is essential.

I’m not talking about that.

I’m talking about uncontrolled, excess energy—energy without direction or intention.

What Frenetic Energy Looks Like in Practice

This kind of energy often shows up as:

1. Knee bouncing

2. Clicking a pen on and off

3. Shifting weight side-to-side or front-to-back while speaking

4. Constant pacing without purpose

5. Talking too fast

Most of the time, this movement isn’t strategic. It’s nervous energy looking for an outlet. It’s unbridled—and when energy isn’t directed, it just is.

And jurors feel it.

Why Frenetic Energy Undermines Learning

Here’s what that kind of energy does to your jury—often without them realizing it.

1. It’s Distracting

Constant movement, fast pacing, or erratic gestures pull attention away from your words. Jurors’ brains have to work harder just to filter out the noise.

2. It Creates Cognitive Overload

Busy movement, loud volume, fast pace, and excessive gestures all increase sensory input. That overloads working memory and makes it harder to process and store information.

At some point, the brain simply taps out.

3. It Raises Stress Levels

An overly intense or erratic presence can make the environment feel stressful—even for well-regulated jurors. And for jurors who struggle with anxiety or learning differences, the impact is even greater.

4. It Reduces Clarity

A voice that’s too fast or too loud causes words to blur together. Intelligibility drops—and when jurors can’t clearly understand you, comprehension disappears.

5. It Damages Trust

You also run the risk of coming across as overly dramatic, angry, or just… too much.

You don’t want jurors having to manage you.

You want them learning from you—and trusting you.

Authority Lives in Regulation, Not Intensity

The goal is energetic and engaging, not hyperactive or frantic.

Authority lives in regulation.

That means:

1. Breathe

2. Maintain an overall moderate pace

3. Vary your voice intentionally, not reflexively

4. Use gestures with purpose

5. Return to a grounded stance when movement isn’t serving you

If you catch yourself moving because you don’t know what else to do:

Pause.

Breathe.

Bring your hands back to a neutral, at-ready position.

Re-ground.

Read the Room—Because Jurors Will React

Think about what you do when you’re overwhelmed.

You withdraw.

You turn away.

You disconnect from the source of too much stimulation.

Jurors do the same thing.

If you are the source of excessive energy, they’ll quietly disengage. That’s your cue to ratchet things down.

Jurors want natural, authentic enthusiasm—not an over-the-top performance. Artificial intensity doesn’t increase persuasion; it creates stress and makes your message harder to process, understand, and retain.

Channel Your Energy—Don’t Flood the Room

Your job in the courtroom isn’t to flood the space with energy.

It’s to channel it.

When your energy is grounded, purposeful, and regulated:

1. jurors can think

2. jurors can feel

3. and jurors can decide clearly

That’s how your message lands.

And that’s how trust is built.

Until next time, keep fostering your voice.