Pam:
I bought the book about a month ago and just started reading it the other day. Am only up to page 40, but I think it's worth having. I like the way it has wide margins. Plenty of room for notes.
I purchased it for two reasons. First, I got sued once a few years ago and had to defend myself in court. I did well on the witness stand (I assume) and prevailed against some disgruntled homeowners who claimed I should have known that the roof his brother-in-law (NOT a professional roofer) installed was faulty and would start to leak a year after my inspection. :roll: Prevail or not, the experience was somewhat unnerving. The next time (and I believe if I stay in business long enough there WILL be a next time), the matter may not be so clear cut. I don't want to look like an idiot on the witness stand.
Second, I am trying to broaden my client base to include attorneys and I just accepted an assignment for a divorce settlement. My client says there will "probably" not be any testimony required. I'm not betting my fee on it. Again, I don't want to look like an idiot on the stand when in fact, I'm a very good appraiser.
I figure if I do enough homework, I can at least see the bullets coming, you know? Fortunately for me, my son is an attorney and he's already tipped me off to the basic attorney tricks vis-a-vis expert witnesses. And to think, at one point I was sorry he didn't become an accountant...
- Theresa