Before the Trial

A judge will make his/her decision on a motion based on the law that applies, the facts of the situation, and the arguments made by the parties for, and against, the motion. The more complicated the situation, the more likely it is that you should put your request in writing so that the judge has a clearer picture of what is going on when making a decision. If you know the statutes or the prior cases that apply to your motion, you can include that information in a “memorandum of law.” A memorandum of law would typically be drafted by a lawyer and explains the legal reason why a motion should or shouldn’t be granted. It may not be necessarily to include a memorandum of law with your motion for a judge to grant it. You can also use an affidavit or several affidavits in support of your motion to show the judge the seriousness of the matter and to support your request for the relief. An affidavit is a sworn statement generally containing first-hand information. You can submit an affidavit for yourself and any other witnesses whose input might be relevant to the situation. Keep in mind that you are under oath when you sign an affidavit and you can only include information that you have personally seen or you know for yourself, not that you have heard from someone else. You might also be able to attach copies of photographs or other documents that you have in your possession to help persuade the judge to grant your motion. These attachments will usually be included as exhibits to an affidavit and the affidavit should include information about where the attachment comes from and why it is important.