It would be interesting to know what questions the lawyers and other visitors asked, but Mormon does not relate any details. The verses that follow make it clear that they were not asking to learn more about the gospel but rather had the intention of harassing Alma and Amulek. Perhaps in a reaction sparked by the same spirit that guided Christ before Herod (Luke 23:9), Alma and Amulek answered nothing. When the lawyers got no reaction, the chief judge also participated in the verbal and physical abuse.
Variant: The printer’s manuscript and the 1830 edition begin verse 18 with: “And it came to pass that.… ”