The discourse of defendants in courtroom proceedings was examined by means of tape recordings from Viennese trials. A method for systematic study is expounded and applied. It emerges that discourse is a major determinant in the outcome of a trial, because it heavily controls the role projection defendants can attain: social class, income, respectability, responsibility, and believability. A skillfully and fluently presented testimony may be believed, irrespective of the facts of the case. Specific discourse features are correlated with “socio‐psychological styles” in defendants’ interaction with the judge.