Georgia legislature rewrites trial rules
June 10, 2011
Georgia: At the end of May, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation rewriting the evidence code that has been rule of law in the state since the Civil War. After a long battle, Georgia has followed most other states in the union in enacting almost all provisions of the Federal Rules of Evidence, which came into existence in 1975.[1]
The rules apply to every aspect of state court cases, from witness statements to evidence allowed in court.[1]
Passing the new rules into law has been a twenty year process. In fact, current Governor Nathan Deal supported them as a state legislator in 1991. Opposition has come from state prosecutors and members of the legislature. In the end, business groups and lawyers' associations drafted a set of rules that was favorable to all parties.[1]
The new laws go into effect on January 1, 2013 and should not be too difficult to adjust to for lawyers that practice in federal court. However, attorneys with a dominant state court presence might have some studying to do.[1]
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