Premise: Well, let me share with you why I have the issue that I have. About a week and a half ago I had a telephone dialogue with Eric because I had proposed to Eric the possibility that in light of your most current order and because you took out the issues of biases and things of that nature and because we're going to be called to trial by Eric, that maybe he should be speaking to Pat to see whether they would be willing to accept the affidavit in lieu of the testimony.
Hypothesis: You wonder if there may not be a chance to accept the (statement sworn in court to be true) instead of the statements (in court).