Expert Witnesses In Alabama Divorce Cases
When a case goes to trial, it means that two parties want a judge or jury to decide which party’s interpretation of events is correct. Therefore, each side presents evidence, and sometimes they summon witnesses. The lawyer representing the party that summoned the witness asks him or her questions, hoping that the answers the witness gives will support the summoning party’s case. Then the lawyer representing the other party cross examines the witness to expose flaws in the opposing party’s arguments or to cast doubt on the credibility of the witness himself or herself. The examination and cross-examination of witnesses is the part of criminal trials that keeps the public glued to their TV screens or constantly refreshing the news websites on their computers in highly publicized criminal trials. One would hope that family law cases would not get so contentious that people would be summoning witnesses and cross examining them, but they don’t know your ex. If your divorce case goes to trial, you may need to summon witnesses to persuade the judge to award you the share of marital property or marital property, and perhaps some of the people who can do this most effectively are effectively. If it appears that your divorce case will go to trial, and you will need to summon expert witnesses to testify, contact a Birmingham divorce lawyer.
Expert Witnesses Testify About Their Unbiased Professional Opinions
In most family law trials, the witnesses who testify are the spouses themselves and people close to them. For example, the wife’s sister can testify about the financial hardships the wife suffered since her husband moved out and refused to contribute to household bills. A child’s teacher can testify that the child used to do well in school, but since the parents have been involved in acrimonious divorce litigation, the child seems anxious and withdrawn.
Expert witnesses, by contrast, testify from a position of distance from the situation. They do not know the parties personally, in some cases, they have never met them. They often testify about financial matters. An expert who works as a financial advisor might see the couple’s investment portfolio and predict how each spouse will fare if the divorce court awards investments A,B, and C to the husband and investments D, E, and F to the wife.
Vocational experts can help judges make decisions about imputed income. You can ask the court to impute income to your spouse, that is, to assume that your spouse will start earning more income soon, and to base the alimony or child support award on the imputed income amount. The vocational expert can testify about how much your ex can expect to earn, based on her previous work experience and her current state of health, even if your ex insists that she cannot return to the workforce.
Contact Peeples Law About Contentious Divorce Cases
A Birmingham family law attorney can help you if you and your ex-spouse disagree about so many things that a judge must decide the terms of your divorce. Contact Peeples Law in Birmingham, Alabama today to schedule a consultation.
Source:
oasinc.org/alabama-vocational-experts
