Younger CLE Series, Part 4: Hearsay - The Professional Education Group

Course Summary:

“Demystifying Hearsay” is the fourth part of the Younger CLE Series by The Professional Education Group, designed to provide legal professionals, particularly newer attorneys, with a comprehensive and practical understanding of hearsay evidence. This course breaks down the often-complex rules of hearsay, explaining what constitutes hearsay, the various exceptions to the hearsay rule, and strategies for effectively admitting or excluding hearsay evidence in legal proceedings. The content emphasizes practical application, equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to confidently navigate hearsay issues in depositions, motion practice, and at trial.

Target Audience:

This program is primarily targeted towards:

• Junior attorneys and newly admitted lawyers.
• Paralegals and legal assistants seeking a deeper understanding of evidence rules.
• Legal professionals looking for a clear and concise review of hearsay principles.
• Anyone involved in litigation or legal proceedings where the admissibility of evidence is a key factor.

Main Content:

The course typically covers key areas such as:

• Defining Hearsay: A clear and concise explanation of the definition of hearsay and its key components.
• The Rule Against Hearsay: Understanding the reasons behind the rule and its implications for the admissibility of out-of-court statements.
• Non-Hearsay Uses of Out-of-Court Statements: Identifying situations where an out-of-court statement is offered for a purpose other than the truth of the matter asserted.
• Exceptions to the Hearsay Rule (Regardless of Declarant Availability): In-depth analysis of common exceptions such as present sense impressions, excited utterances, then-existing mental, emotional, or physical condition, statements made for medical diagnosis or treatment, recorded recollection, business records, public records, and more.
• Exceptions to the Hearsay Rule (Declarant Must Be Unavailable): Examination of exceptions applicable when the declarant is unavailable as a witness, including former testimony, dying declarations, statements against interest, statements of personal or family history, and statements offered against a party that wrongfully caused the declarant’s unavailability.
• Hearsay Within Hearsay: Understanding how to analyze situations involving multiple layers of out-of-court statements.
• Strategies for Admitting Hearsay Evidence: Practical tips and techniques for successfully arguing for the admissibility of hearsay under applicable exceptions.
• Strategies for Objecting to Hearsay Evidence: Effective methods for identifying and objecting to inadmissible hearsay.
• Recent Developments and Case Law: Updates on relevant case law and evolving interpretations of the hearsay rules (depending on the course’s recency).