As a lifestyle blogger who focuses on various people, professions, and things, we go beyond the traditional concept of ‘socialite’ diving deep into finance, fashion, beauty, food, travel, and everything that influences your typical and atypical socialite. In our article on how to integrate legal knowledge into your socialite lifestyle, we’ll shine a light on how knowing a little more about the law can empower you to live life on a budget.
For hundreds of years, responsible legal counsel was something only the wealthy could afford. Luckily, with the internet’s expansion of knowledge, everyone can have an attorney in their pocket at all times (figuratively, of course). You might be surprised at how many people spend money on things, or make costly decisions, because they didn’t know the legal context of what they were doing. We recently wrote an article discussing the attorney witness rule with the surrounding legal practices. The attorney witness rule is a perfect example of how a little knowledge can save you big.
The attorney witness rule is a legal principle that prevents a party to a lawsuit from offering the testimony or opinions of an attorney who was also involved in a group of attorneys that worked on the lawsuit itself. The attorney witness rule is an extension of the attorney-client communication privilege, which allows an attorney and client to speak freely about a case without the fear that others will learn what they discussed. Often when an attorney expects to testify as a witness to a case they are working on, they will withdraw as counsel in order to avoid a conflict created by the attorney witness rule.
At first glance, the attorney witness rule seems like it could be a huge problem, rendering many attorneys unable to testify on behalf of their own clients. However, upon closer examination, situations that directly involve the attorney are few and far between. In general, attorneys who work tirelessly on a lawsuit want to testify for their clients when needed, unless for a good reason that is usually irrelevant to the actual facts of the case. In the context of the attorney witness rule, attorneys want to testify when they are most able so that they can join their clients in the courtroom and fight for justice. On the opposing side, attorneys and their clients don’t want to face an attorney witness who has spent months or even years doing nothing but studying their case. These attorneys will know more than anyone else on the planet about every nuance and detail of the case.
Nevertheless, although the attorney witness rule is harmless for the most part, it’s easy for people to jump to conclusions about what may happen in their own cases based on a simple Google search. Some of the complaints we see online about the attorney witness rule are confusing. Some people seem to think that the attorney witness rule renders the client’s entire case moot because their attorney cannot testify. Others think that the attorney witness rule means their attorney can never show their face in court again. Everyone in the room quietly laughs while clearing their throats hopelessly.
The attorney witness rule is part of an internal system of rules and procedures that govern the legal industry. Without a solid understanding of the law, it’s easy to make certain assumptions that lead to unnecessary expenditures. In addition to the numerous hangouts at bars around the country, the internet provides people with a wealth of information about everything that affects their lives. Whether you want to learn more about your rights, responsibilities, or potential pitfalls in any situation, we suggest you take the time to read up on them before making any big decisions. Understanding the legal context behind your decisions can save your long-term budget a lot of stress.