Legal Question in Civil Litigation in North Carolina
state rules of evidence
I need to know whether or not a telephone book can be submitted as evidence by the defendant in a civil lawsuit. The defendant is trying to prove that he runs his business from an office downtown in Greensboro. His landlord is trying to evict him for breaching the lease by running his business from home. The defendant claims that his business listing with a phone number and address in the telephone book is evidence that he does not run his business from home.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: state rules of evidence
Hmm. That's a tough one. There are possibly issues of "authentication" and of "hearsay." My best guess is that it is admissible. It seems to be fairly reliable proof of the place of business. (Of course, one can work from his or her home also.) If the case is in small claims court, evidence is generally more freely admitted anyway.