The Better Chancery Practice Blog

You’re the judge.  Which values do you think will have more credibility:

1. Financial statement 1 has the family vehicles valued by the party at $800 (the car he wants) and $35,000 (the car that he wants the other party to have), unsupported by any authority; and
2. Financial statement 2 that has Kelly Blue Book or NADA printouts from the internet showing values of $12,000 and $16,500? 

Financial statement 2 will win the credibility battle every time.

When you are doing your responses to discovery, go to the Kelly Blue Book site or the N.A.D.A. site and enter the make, year model, mileage, condition and options for your client’s car.  Use the “Used Car – Private Sale” figures, and print out the results.  Include the printout with your discovery response as an attachment to the Rule 8.05 financial statement or in any other appropriate place.  Then, when you are preparing for trial, make sure the printout is attached to the financial statement you are going to offer into evidence.

Tagged: automobile values, Financial statements, Kelly Blue Book, NADA