Dear Enlightened Divorce Blog™ Reader and Colleagues (Get CLE Credits!):
I am pleased to announce that I will be speaking in an upcoming Strafford live webinar, "Evidentiary Challenges in Divorce Cases: Traditional and Electronic Communications" scheduled for Thursday, October 31, 1:00pm-2:30pm EDT.
A working knowledge of the intricacies of the rules of evidence is a must for family law practitioners to achieve a successful result in any contested court proceeding. Counsel must be able to properly lay the foundation for and correctly introduce evidence in divorce cases.
Counsel must utilize proper procedures for authenticating and admitting exhibits, from writings to photos, emails, text messages and websites, including social media. Developing effective approaches for restricting improper evidence, making proper objections, and setting forth offers of proof is also critical.
Our panel will provide family law counsel with approaches for defending the admissibility of evidence in divorce cases. The panel will discuss laying the foundation for exhibits, review authenticating and introducing different types of evidence, and identify ways to restrict evidence and testimony.
We will offer our perspectives and guidance on these and other critical questions:
- What is the proper procedure for authenticating and admitting different types of exhibits?
- When can a lay witness testify to opinions or conclusions and when not?
- What common exceptions to the hearsay rule may be used in a family law case?
- What is the original evidence rule and when does it apply?
- What are the unique challenges and solutions to introducing and authenticating electronic evidence?
After our presentations, we will engage in a live question and answer session with participants so we can answer your questions about these important issues directly.
I hope you'll join us.
Thurman W. Arnold III, CFLS, Founding Partner
Thurman Arnold Law Office
Palm Springs, Calif.
