When it is your turn to give evidence, a court officer or prosecutor will bring you into the courtroom and direct you to the witness box. You will then be asked by a court officer or police officer to take an oath or an affirmation. Do not worry, the officer will ask you to repeat after them so there is nothing for you to memorise before coming to court.

Both oaths and affirmations are types of promises, and in court you use them to promise that you will be truthful in the evidence you provide to the court. An oath is promise grounded in religion, where you will be asked to put your hand on a holy book (such as the Bible) while an affirmation is a promise to tell the truth without being religious. You will be asked to raise your right hand when affirming. Oaths and affirmations are to be taken very seriously.

The court will generally have religious books such as the Bible or other hoy book, so you do not need to worry about brining one. However, you should tell the prosecutor if your religion is not a dominant religion so that the court may made arrangements for you.