TEMPORARYHEARINGS–DOAFFIDAVITSMATTER?
GeorgeS.Stern
SternEdlin,PC
Atlanta,Georgia
AMERICANACADEMYOFMATRIMONIALLAWYERS
ANNUALFAMILYLAWSEMINAR
Acknowledgment
TheauthoracknowledgeswithmuchappreciationthecontributionofCarlaM.Schiff,Esq.ofthe
lawfirmofSternEdlin,P.C.,Atlanta,Georgia.
TemporaryHearings–doaffidavitsmatter?
DoaffidavitsmatterataTemporaryHearing?Inaword,yes!Affidavitsarethe
bestwaytoputevidencebeforetheCourt,especiallyinacustodymatter,thattheCourt
ordinarilywouldnothearuntilfinaltrial.Affidavitsareespeciallyusefultorefute
allegationsinthecase.Forexample,ifyourclientisbeingaccusedofbeingan
absenteeparent,astackofaffidavitsfromfriends,neighborsandfamilystatingthatthey
areaninvolvedparentwillhelpturnthetide.Affidavitsarealsoeffectiveingiving
credencetoallegationsbyyourclientabouttheotherparent.
HerearesometipsabouteffectiveuseofaffidavitsataTemporaryHearing:
1.Readtherule:
Rule24.5.Witnessesindomesticrelationsactions.
(A)Attemporaryhearingsthepartiesinvolvedandoneadditional
witnessforeachsidemaygiveoraltestimony.Additionalwitnesses
musttestifybydepositionoraffidavitunlessotherwiseorderedby
thecourt.Anyaffidavitshallbeservedonopposingcounselatleast
24hourspriortohearing.
2.Don’tservetheaffidavitstooearlyortoolate:Servetheaffidavitsbyhand
deliverysothatyouropposingcounselreceivesthematleast24hourspriorto
thehearing.
3.SendcourtesycopiestotheCourt:Althoughtheruledoesnotrequirethatthe
affidavitsbefiled24hourspriortothehearing,itisagoodideatosendtheCourt
courtesycopieswithacoverletterexplainingtheyareforthehearingthenext
day.Ifyouhavesomeaffidavitsthataremorehelpfulthanothers,placethe
mosthelpfulonesonthetopofthestacksothattheCourtseesthemfirst.
4.Highlighttheaffidavitsduringthehearing:Askyourclientondirectwhoeachof
theaffiantsareandhowwelltheyknowthemandtheeventsinquestion.
Highlightthecontentoftheaffidavitsinyouropeningandclosing.
5.Secureaffidavitsfromavarietyorwitnesses:Rememberthateverywitness
doesnotneedtoknoweverythingaboutthesituation;theyjustneedtostate
whattheydoknow.
6.Cautionaffiantsaboutfirst-handknowledge:Tomakesureyouraffidavitsare
mosteffective,discourageaffiantsfromgivingeditorial-typeopinionsorstating
secondorthird-handinformation.
Chapter1-E
1of1