Presenting and Objecting to Evidence in Legal Proceedings: Evidence Basics, Pre-Trial Motions, Expert Testimony, and Presentation (2026 Edition)

Paul Leopold | KoonsFuller, P.C

Paul Leopold is double board certified in Family Law and Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization—one of only ten active attorneys in Texas with this distinction. He has handled appeals across Texas and in federal courts, including matters involving custody, support, property division, constitutional issues, jurisdiction, and international child abduction. Paul often partners with trial attorneys to frame winning arguments, preserve error, and maintain a clean record for appeal.

Paul is often brought in when the stakes are high—when cases involve complex property, parental rights, major financial disputes, or difficult legal questions. He has handled appeals across Texas and in federal courts, including matters involving custody, support, property division, constitutional issues, jurisdiction, and international child abduction.

Paul is also a frequent speaker and author on evidence, trial strategy, and appellate practice, and lawyers across the state rely on his guidance with complicated cases. He is active in serving Texas families through the State Bar Family Law Section and the Texas Family Law Foundation.

Heather King | KoonsFuller, P.C

Heather King is a shareholder at KoonsFuller and manager of the Southlake office located in Tarrant County, Texas. She is a graduate of TCU and Texas Tech School of Law and has been practicing family law for over 30 years (a paralegal for 10 years prior to that), Board Certified since 2000. Among her many leadership activities, she is a past president of the Tarrant County Family Law Bar Association, Tarrant County Bar Association, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and former Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. She has been awarded the Joseph McKnight best CLE Article Award, Dan Price Award for professionalism, TexasBarCLE Standing Ovation Award, Sam Emison Award, and The Gene Cavin Award, the SBOT’s highest honor for lifetime contributions to CLE.

Session I – Foundations of Evidence | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

• Rules of evidence
• Types of evidence
• Admitting evidence
• Excluding evidence

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session II – Advanced Evidence: Application and Techniques | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

• Pretrial motions
  • Types of pretrial motions
  • Best practices for presenting evidence
  • Making and responding to objections
• Presenting and objecting to expert testimony
  • Qualifying an expert witness
  • Direct and cross-examination techniques
  • Utilizing expert reports and exhibits
• Effective use of demonstrative evidence
  • Legal considerations and limits
  • Engaging the jury with visuals
  • Making a clean record for appeal