Trial Preparation

Affordable Trial Preparation

It is always best to meet pretrial deadlines and attend trial with an experienced family law attorney. If you are seeking counsel, please call us at 480-307-9306 (Mesa location) or 602-595-7478 (Phoenix location) for a referral. Unfortunately, some people cannot afford an attorney and face their pretrial deadlines alone.

Although we cannot provide legal advice or represent you in court, we can assist you with meeting your pretrial deadlines.

Has the court scheduled an evidentiary hearing or trial* in your family law case?
Are you required to file a pretrial statement?
Do you need to comply with Rule 49?
Organize and deliver exhibits to your judge?

*An Evidentiary Hearing and Trial are basically the same thing. Sometimes the pretrial statement is referred to as the prehearing statement.

We charge $650 for our Trial Preparation Package, which includes preparing a disclosure statement, joint or separate prehearing statement and exhibit list. We file your prehearing statement with the Court and deliver a copy with your exhibits directly to the office of the Judge assigned to your case.

We may also assist you with preparing Resolution Management Statements, Discovery Requests and Responses, Disclosure Statements, Child Support Worksheets and Parenting Plans

What are pretrial deadlines?

Any deadlines that must be met prior to trial. To determine the deadlines in your case, carefully read the Judge’s minute entry because deadlines may vary. Typically, there are disclosure and pretrial deadlines and a deadline to deliver your exhibits to the Judge’s office for marking.

Disclosure

This deadline is again, typically, 30 days prior to trial according to most Judge’s Minute Entry Rulings or Orders setting the hearing and deadlines. In Family Law cases, disclosures include providing the other parties involved in the case with a list of your witnesses and what they are expected to testify about and a list of the exhibits with copies of the exhibits you plan to use at trial. Pursuant to Rule 49, Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure, disclosure is first due within forty (40) days after the filing of a response to an initial petition. See: Rule 49 for more information.

Kellie DiCarlo

AZCLDP #81069

Kellie is a co-owner and designated principle of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. with 30 years of legal experience. Kellie and Melanie are a Mother/Daughter team.

Melanie Vache

AZCLDP #81652

Melanie is certified as a legal document preparer with several years experience. Melanie has a bachelor degree in Psychology. She assists clients in our Mesa location.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Pretrial Statement/Prehearing Statement

Prehearing Statement may be joint or separate depending on what is ordered in the Judge’s minute entry setting the trial and includes the following information:

a. The nature of the action;

b. The names and address of the parties, if not confidential;

c. Names and dates of birth of the parties’ minor children;

d. The length of the trial if shorter than that scheduled by the Court;

e. A list of the names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses intended to be used by each party during the trial, indicating witnesses whose testimony will be received by deposition only. Each party shall list any objections to a witness and the basis for that objection.

f. A list of the exhibits that each party intends to use at trial, specifying exhibits that the parties agree are admissible at trial, or if not in agreement, a list of objections and the specific grounds for each objection that a party will make if the exhibit is offered at trial.

g. Stipulations or agreements of the parties;

h. A statement of uncontested facts;

i. Detailed and concise statements of contested issues of fact and law by each party;

j. A statement by each party that all pretrial discovery and disclosure has been completed by the trial date and that the parties have exchanged all exhibits and reports of expert witnesses who have been listed as witnesses;

k. A statement as to whether the parties have in good faith discussed settlement, and if not, the reasons for not discussing settlement;

l. A statement by each party on how a verbatim record of the trial will be made.

Prehearing Statements are required to be filed, delivered to the judge and mailed to any other parties involved with the case typically 1 week prior to trial. Again, carefully read the minute entry or court order setting your trial.

Exhibits

The minute entry or Court order setting the trial will set forth the deadline to deliver the exhibits to the Judge’s office and the format in which the Judge wants the exhibits. For example, inserting colored sheets between the exhibits. Some Judges want exhibits stapled and numbered or bates stamped. Often times, the deadline to deliver the exhibits is seven to ten days prior to trial. A set of exhibits must be provided to the other party’s counsel or other party, if not represented by counsel. Some Judges require a Bench Copy and have specific requirements. The Judge’s minute entry will specifically set forth what the Judge assigned to your case requires.

The Judge may have other requirements. To ensure full compliance, carefully read your minute entry or court order that sets the hearing.

Open an ECR account to view and print documents in your case:

Set Up ECR Account

This account allows you to view and print every document in your case. Important: Please enter the information that is on your driver’s license to successfully open your account. This site will not work if you are using Google Chrome. If you need assistance or have any questions, please contact the divorce paralegal assisting you with your case.