Marie Bramwell is a lawyer with Gordon Law Group in Heber City, Utah, who specializes in domestic relations, including divorce. She testified as the first witness in day nine of Kouri Richins' trial on Thursday (March 5) about meeting with Richins in 2021 and being retained by her, then returning the retainer. The exam was an interesting look at how to establish for the jury that Kouri Richins was considering divorcing her hsubamd, who she's now accused of murdering with a fatal dose of fentanyl, without violating attorney-client privilege. Summit County, Utah, Deputy Prosecutor Lindsay Chervenak questioned Bramwell in direct-exam. She first asked her questions about her practice in general to establish that process for meeting with potential clients and what happens if they don't want to follow through with a divorce. Bramwell said she met with Richins on May 3, 2021, and emailed her approximately five times between then and January 2022. "Other than those communications, did you speak with her at any other time?" Chervenak asked. "I don't believe I did," Bramwell answered. "If someone decides not to move forward with your firm in an attorney-client relationship manner for any reason, would a retainer be returned to them?" Chervenak asked. "Yes," Bramwell answered. Chervenak displayed a check Bramwell's firm issued to Richins for $5,000, which she testified earlier is her retainer amount. In cross-exam, Richins' lawyer Wendy Lewis tries to show Bramwell practices other areas of law such as water law and boundary issues, in a bold attempt to imply that maybe Richins was actually meeting with her about that and not divorce. In re-direct, Chervenak asked Bramwell, "Were you doing those types of cases in 2021?" "I don't believe so," Bramwell answered. "Okay, so, so it was just the domestic relations then at that time?" Chervenak asked. "Primarily," Bramwell answered. The trial is back in session tomorrow (Monday, March 9, day 10). Prosecutors expect to rest their case this week, then Richins' lawyers will call witnesses. The trial is expected to end by March 26. #law #crime #court #lawyer #divorce - @meghannmcuniff