This is not a request for legal advice, but is a question on procedures and practicalities.
In a common law legal system (such as the US), how does one represent themself as well as testify on their own behalf during the same proceeding? E.g. they are being charged with a crime and have decided to take the stand in their own defense, and also to represent themself without an attorney.
I realize that doing this would normally be ill-advised, especially for someone charged with a crime, but this has to have happened at least once, in civil or criminal court.
Some imagery flashed through my mind of a person talking to himself in court looking like he’s mentally unstable, possibly letting the court know when he was switching hats, or jumping in and out of the witness chair depending on whether he was in asking mode or answering mode.
Person: “What did you do the morning of April 5th” <hops in witness chair> “I got up and prepared myself for work”. <hops back out> “was there anything out of the ordinary happening?” <hops back in witness chair> “yes…” <hops back out> “what did you do when you saw that”…etc…
A defendant who represents himself can testify in the narrative.
So, for your example, the defendant would take the stand and just tell him story, “On the morning of April 5th, I got up and prepared myself for work when I noticed something out of the ordinary … when I saw that …”
Sometimes they just read a statement to the court, but I have seen trial transcripts of a guy who took the stand and read from a list of questions, which he then answered.
As I understand it, the purpose of interrogatory testimony by a witness (where counsel asks questions which the witness answers) is to ensure that the witness’s testimony includes everything that that ‘side’ of the dispute (plaintiff or prosecution, and defendant or respondent) wishes to have on the trial record.
When one represents oneself and testifies, the onus is on you to state, on oath or affirmation, everything that you wish to have on the record. I presume that an outline of the facts you wish to ensure are on record, or even a pre-drafted statement, would normally not be out of place.
Though this was not brought up, remember that as a witness in your own behalf, you subject yourself to cross-examination by the other ‘side’. This is an issue you may need to take into consideration in deciding whether to testify in your own behalf.