In the ongoing Corbin Fulton County case hearing, the first witness, Terrence Bradley, took the stand. Bradley, a former law partner to Nathan Wade, faced arguments before testifying. The defense attorney, Ms. Merchant, assured the court that she had crafted her questions to avoid privileged information but welcomed objections if necessary.
Bradley confirmed that he had been subpoenaed to testify and expressed his reluctance to be present. He clarified that he and Ms. Merchant had not previously discussed relevant facts regarding Mr. Wade and his relationship. Their text conversations mainly revolved around Bradley's health and his feelings about the situation. When asked if they had discussed the relationship between Wade and Willis, Bradley stated that they had not directly discussed it.
An objection was raised by the defense when Ms. Merchant asked if Bradley had texted her about Wade and Willis taking trips together. The defense argued that the text messages had not been provided and that there was no foundation for the question. Ms. Merchant countered that the conversations were not privileged and offered to present her phone as evidence. The judge ruled that more foundation needed to be laid before determining if privilege applied.
To move the proceedings forward, Ms. Merchant shifted the line of questioning and asked Bradley about his history with Mr. Wade. They had met in 1998 and eventually formed a law firm together in 2010. While they were initially separate firms, they later incorporated together. Bradley left the firm in August or September 2022, and the firm was administratively dissolved.
Ms. Merchant then asked about the timing of Mr. Wade filing for divorce and when he consulted Bradley. The defense objected, citing privilege, but the judge allowed the question after Ms. Merchant clarified that she was not asking about privileged information. Bradley stated that Mr. Wade consulted him about the divorce in December 2018.
The next line of questioning focused on the meeting between Fonny Willis and Nathan Wade. Bradley confirmed that they had met at a municipal court judges conference, where Wade was teaching a class. He was unsure of the exact date but believed it was in October 2019. He also noted that Willis was no longer a municipal court judge since becoming the district attorney.
When asked about the beginning of their romantic relationship, the defense objected again, claiming privilege. Ms. Merchant clarified that she was not asking about privileged information but rather what Bradley observed and knew outside of legal advice-seeking conversations. The defense objected once more, and the judge ruled that the question was too far from the scope of the case.
The hearing continued with objections and discussions regarding privilege and foundation. Ms. Merchant proposed putting another witness, Ms. Yerde, on the stand to address privilege issues. The judge agreed, and the proceedings were set to continue.
