Can my spouse be in the courtroom at my debt collection trial?

In a previous article we talked about whether or not your spouse can argue your collection lawsuit for you in trial.

Since they can’t represent you, you may wonder, “Well, can they come into the court room with me to support me during the debt collection trial?”

It depends.

There’s a unique law that it is sometimes simply called, “The Rule.”

The Rule states that if anyone in the courtroom can take the stand as a witness, then they can be forced to leave the courtroom.

This rule exists so that the testimony of a witness will not be influenced by what is being said in the trial before they take the stand.

Sometimes, collection lawyers abuse this rule.

They may see that your spouse is a comfort to you, since you’re nervous about the debt collection trial.

Unfortunately, they won’t be lenient towards you.

They will say to the judge, “Your Honor, we want to invoke the Rule, because the spouse may be a witness.”

Even though they have no real intention of calling your spouse to the stand.

There may be some legitimacy to what they’re saying, but usually they use this rule to make you feel uneasy.

They want to intimidate you.

Be aware that you may have to be in trial alone.

If you’re handling your collection lawsuit on your own, which is one of 5 options you have, understand that your spouse may not be able be there for you.

You may not be able to look to your spouse for comfort since the collection lawyer may use the Rule.

Contact Us.

If you’ve decided to handle your lawsuit on your own, or maybe you’re not sure what option is best for you, get in touch with us.

We have some resources for you if you handle it on your own.

You can reach us by phone at 1-205-879-2447.

You can also fill out a contact form and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

We would be glad to help walk you through your options.

I look forward to chatting with you.

Have a great day!

-John G. Watts