Chapter 5 Rules of Evidence
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Michigan Rules of Evidence Table of Contents
Michigan Rules of Evidence Table of Contents RULES 101–106 .......................................................................................................... 4 Rule 101. Scope. ....................................................................................................... 4 Rule 102. Purpose. ................................................................................................... 4 Rule 103. Rulings on Evidence. ............................................................................... 4 Rule 104. Preliminary Questions. ........................................................................... 5 Rule 105. Limited Admissibility. ............................................................................. 5 Rule 106. Remainder of or Related Writings or Recorded Statements. ................. 5 RULES 201–202 .......................................................................................................... 5 Rule 201. Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts. .................................................... 5 Rule 202. Judicial Notice of Law. ............................................................................ 6 RULES 301–302 .......................................................................................................... 6 Rule 301. Presumptions in Civil Actions and Proceedings. ................................... 6 Rule 302. Presumptions in Criminal Cases. ........................................................... 6 RULES 401–411 ......................................................................................................... -
Developments in Character Evidence, Cross-Examination Rules, and Prior Consistent Statements Jeffrey Cole
CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Chicago-Kent College of Law Chicago-Kent Law Review Volume 56 | Issue 1 Article 11 April 1980 Evidence: Developments in Character Evidence, Cross-Examination Rules, and Prior Consistent Statements Jeffrey Cole Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Jeffrey Cole, Evidence: Developments in Character Evidence, Cross-Examination Rules, and Prior Consistent Statements , 56 Chi.-Kent L. Rev. 279 (1980). Available at: https://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/cklawreview/vol56/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarly Commons @ IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Chicago-Kent Law Review by an authorized editor of Scholarly Commons @ IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EVIDENCE: DEVELOPMENTS IN CHARACTER EVIDENCE, CROSS-EXAMINATION RULES, AND PRIOR CONSISTENT STATEMENTS JEFFREY COLE* Practically the whole body of the law of evidence governing ... tri- als in the federal courts has been judge-made .... Naturally these evidentiary rules have not remained unchanged. They have adapted themselves to progressive notions of relevance in the pursuit of truth through adversary litigation, and have reflected dominant concep- tions of standards appropriate for the effective and civilized adminis- tration of law.' With characteristic eloquence, Mr. Justice Frankfurter once ob- served that the "rules of evidence for. trials in the federal courts are made a part of living law and [are] not treated as a mere collection of wooden rules in a game." 2 Rather, they "are adopted for practical pur- poses in the administration of justice, and must be so applied, as to 3 promote the ends for which they are designed." The force of these penetrating observations has not been dulled either by time's attrition or by Congress' adoption of the Federal Rules of Evidence in 1975. -
Character Evidence—How to Get It In
1. Need Help ASAP! Character Evidence in Trial Partner and I in trial. Client is charged with manslaughter for recklessly causing a death in operation of a ten-wheeler. Judge is prohibiting testimony about the defendant's character for safety and being a conscientious truck driver. If you have a case handy, please respond, re: offering good character evidence as to conscientious character of the driver by former employers. David Moore 2. RE: Need Help ASAP! Character Evidence in Trial His propensity for safety is not general character evidence. It's pertinent character- trait evidence. A character-trait is pertinent if it is a trait involved in the offense charged or in a defense raised. See Spector v. State, 746 S.W.2d 946, 950 (Tex. App. Austin 1988, pet. ref.), and Stitt v. State, 102 S.W.3d 845, 849 (Tex. App. Texarkana 2003, pet. ref.) Michael Mowla 3. RE: Need Help ASAP! Character Evidence in Trial In In re G.M.P., 909 S.W.2d 198, 207-08 (Tex. App.???Houston [14th Dist.] 1995, no writ, the court said: 3. Exclusion of Reputation Testimony In his fourth point of error, appellant contends the trial court erred in excluding character testimony concerning his reputation. Appellant attempted to present testimony by the mother of one of his friends that he had a reputation in the community for the "safe and moral treatment of children." The State objected, and the trial court sustained the objection, refusing to allow appellant to present ??[**23]?? the reputation testimony to the jury. However, the trial court did allow appellant to present the testimony in a bill of exception. -
Rules of Evidence
SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA COMMITTEE ON RULES OF EVIDENCE Title 225 - Rules of Evidence [225 Pa. Code ART 1] Proposed Amendment of Pa.R.E. 104 and Revision of Comment The Committee on Rules of Evidence is planning to recommend that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania approve the Amendment of Pa.R.E. 104 and Revision of Comment. This proposal has not been submitted for review by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The text for the proposed changes precede the Report. Additions are bold and underlined, and deletions are in [bold and brackets]. We request that interested persons submit suggestions, comments, or objections concerning this proposal to the Committee through counsel: Daniel A. Durst, Chief Counsel Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Committee on Rules of Evidence Pennsylvania Judicial Center 601 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 6200 P.O. Box 62635 Harrisburg, PA 17106-2635 Fax: (717) 231-9536 Email: [email protected] no later than July 30, 2010 By the Committee on Rules of Evidence PROFESSOR SANDRA D. JORDAN, CHAIR REPORT Proposed Amendment of Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence 104 (Preliminary Questions) and Revision of Comment Often the admissibility of evidence is conditioned upon the proof of foundational facts. Pennsylvania Rule of Evidence 104, modeled after Federal Rule of Evidence 104, adopted a process whereby preliminary questions concerning foundational facts are to be decided by the judge before the evidence can be admitted. To illustrate, a statement by a co-conspirator of a party made during the course and in the furtherance of a conspiracy may be admissible and not excluded as hearsay. However, a preliminary question must be answered before the statement can be admitted as a hearsay exception, to wit, whether there was a conspiracy. -
Alabama Rules of Evidence Article V. Privileges Rule 502. Attorney-Client
Alabama Rules of Evidence Article V. Privileges Rule 502. Attorney-client privilege. (a) Definitions. As used in this rule: (1) “Client” is a person, public officer, or corporation, association, or other organization or entity, either public or private, that is rendered professional legal services by an attorney, or that consults an attorney with a view to obtaining professional legal services from the attorney. (2) “Representative of the client” is: (i) a person having authority to obtain professional legal services or to act on legal advice rendered on behalf of the client or (ii) any other person who, for the purpose of effecting legal representation for the client, makes or receives a confidential communication while acting in the scope of employment for the client. (3) “Attorney” is a person authorized, or reasonably believed by the client to be authorized, to engage in the practice of law in any state or nation. (4) “Representative of the attorney” is a person employed by the attorney to assist the attorney in rendering professional legal services. (5) A communication is “confidential” if not intended to be disclosed to third persons other than those to whom disclosure is made in furtherance of the rendition of professional legal services to the client or those to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for the transmission of the communication. (b) General rule of privilege. A client has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing a confidential communication made for the purpose of facilitating -
Proffer Agreements
BAR OURNAL J FEATURE States Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York provides: [T]he Office may use any statements made by Proffer Agreements Client: (A) to obtain leads to other evidence, which evidence may be used by the Office in any stage of a criminal prosecution (including What Is Your Client Waiving but not limited to detention hearing, trial or sentencing), civil or administrative proceeding, (B) as substantive evidence to and Is It Worth the Risk? cross-examine Client, should Client testify, and (C) as substantive evidence to rebut, directly or indirectly, any evidence offered or elicited, BY JOHN MCCAFFREY & JON OEBKER or factual assertions made, by or on behalf of Client at any stage of a criminal prosecution (including but not limited to detention hearing, our client is the target of a federal a plea of guilty later withdrawn” is inadmissible trial or sentencing).(Emphasis added.) investigation. He is offered the against the defendant. It is well-settled that the In practice, the particular language of these opportunity to speak with prosecutors protections afforded under these rules can be agreements determines what triggering events Yand investigators so that they have “his side” waived in proffer agreements, thus opening the open the door to the admission of a client’s of the story before determining whether door for a client’s statements to be used against proffer statements at trial. For example, in charges will be pursued. You may ask yourself, him at trial. United States v. Mezzanatto, 513 United States v. Gonzalez, 309 F.3d 882 (5th “What do I have to lose?” Well, the answer is U.S. -
501 MRE 501 Privilege; General Rule
501 MRE 501 Privilege; General Rule Privilege is governed by the common law, except as modified by statute or court rule. History 501 New eff. Mar 1, 1978 I. Explanation §501.1 II. Practice Suggestions §501.2 III. Prior Michigan Law §501.3 IV. Federal Rule §501.4 V. Cases Interpreting MRE 501 A. Accountant-Client Privilege 1. In General §501.5 2. Cases §501.6 B. Attorney-Client Privilege 1. In General §501.7 2. Attorney-Client Relationship §501.8 3. Scope §501.9 4. Waiver §501.10 5. Who May Assert §501.11 C. Attorney Work-Product Privilege §501.12 D. Clergy-Penitent Privilege §501.13 E. Deliberative Process Privilege §501.14 F. Husband-Wife Privilege 1. In General §501.15 2. Communications Privilege §501.16 3. Spousal Privilege and Exceptions §501.17 G. Informant’s Identity §501.18 H. Journalist’s Privilege §501.19 I. Optometrist-Patient Privilege (Not Recognized) §501.20 J. Physician-Patient Privilege 1. In General §501.21 2. Autopsies §501.22 221 © 2013 The Institute of Continuing Legal Education | 1020 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1444 | www.icle.org [email protected] | Phone 877-229-4350 or 734-764-0533 | Fax 877-229-4351 or 734-763-2412 | M-F 8:00am-5:00pm §501.1 Michigan Courtroom Evidence 13 Supp. 3. Cause of Action §501.23 4. Discovery of Medical Information §501.24 5. Scope §501.25 6. Waiver §501.26 K. Probation Records Privilege §501.27 L. Psychologist/Psychiatrist-Patient Privilege §501.28 M. Self-Incrimination, Privilege Against §501.29 N. -
TAKING a STAND AGAINST SUBPOENAS to FORMER EMPLOYERS Labor & Employment Section Chairs: Tammie L
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNT Y BAR ASSOCIATION TAMPA, FLORIDA | DECEMBER 2010 - JANUARY 2011 Lawyer VOL. 21, NO. 3 TAKING A STAND AGAINST SUBPOENAS TO FORMER EMPLOYERS Labor & Employment Section Chairs: Tammie L. Rattray, Ford & Harrison LLP, and Steven M. Bernstein, Fisher & Phillips, LLP oppose these after-acquired subpoenas. evidence defense. The most This defense common allows employers arguments to use evidence opposing these of wrongdoing subpoenas on the part of a are based on plaintiff that the overbreadth, employers learn relevance, of after-the-fact and that the to limit damages recurring practice information sought awardable to we see over and over is not reasonably plaintiffs.2 Many again as plaintiffs’ calculated to lead courts will not A employment lawyers to discovery of permit defendants when litigating employment admissible The key to remember to obtain this discrimination cases is the evidence. For in evaluating information, defendants’ attempt to use example, when especially early non-party subpoenas to obtain a defendant non-party subpoenas on in discovery, irrelevant, confidential and broadly requests is whether the without some an employee’s pre-existing private personnel information information actually from plaintiffs’ former employers. entire personnel factual basis Not only do plaintiffs find these file from a former sought will lead to showing that subpoenas overly intrusive and employer, this admissible evidence. after-acquired an invasion of privacy, but they is exceedingly evidence exists.3 fear that these subpoenas interfere overbroad and The mere with their future job opportunities. typically seeks possibility or Defendants use non-party irrelevant information. In these belief by defendants that after- subpoenas to pry into plaintiffs’ situations, undoubtedly plaintiffs acquired evidence may exist is pasts without regard to relevance should attack the subpoena.1 not sufficient. -
Preserving the Record
Chapter Seven: Preserving the Record Edward G. O’Connor, Esquire Patrick R. Kingsley, Esquire Echert Seamans Cherin & Mellot Pittsburgh PRESERVING THE RECORD I. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE RECORD. Evidentiary rulings are seldom the basis for a reversal on appeal. Appellate courts are reluctant to reverse because of an error in admitting or excluding evidence, and sometimes actively search for a way to hold that a claim of error in an evidence ruling is barred. R. Keeton, Trial Tactics and Methods, 191 (1973). It is important, therefore, to preserve the record in the trial court to avoid giving the Appellate Court the opportunity to ignore your claim of error merely because of a technicality. II. PRESERVING THE RECORD WHERE THE TRIAL COURT HAS LET IN YOUR OPPONENT’S EVIDENCE. A. The Need to Object: 1. Preserving the Issue for Appeal. A failure to object to the admission of evidence ordinarily constitutes a waiver of the right to object to the admissibility or use of that evidence. Taylor v. Celotex Corp., 393 Pa. Super. 566, 574 A.2d 1084 (1990). If there is no objection, the court is not obligated to exclude improper evidence being offered. Errors in admitting evidence at trial are usually waived on appeal unless a proper, timely objection was made during the trial. Commonwealth v. Collins, 492 Pa. 405, 424 A.2d 1254 (1981). The rules of appellate procedure are meant to afford the trial judge an opportunity to correct any mistakes that have been made before these mistakes can be a basis of appeal. A litigator will not be allowed to ambush the trial judge by remaining silent at trial and voice an objection to the Appellate Court only after an unfavorable verdict or judgment is reached. -
Using Leading Questions During Direct Examination
Florida State University Law Review Volume 23 Issue 2 Article 4 Fall 1995 Using Leading Questions During Direct Examination Charles W. Ehrhardt Florida State University College of Law Stephanie J. Young Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.law.fsu.edu/lr Part of the Evidence Commons, and the State and Local Government Law Commons Recommended Citation Charles W. Ehrhardt & Stephanie J. Young, Using Leading Questions During Direct Examination, 23 Fla. St. U. L. Rev. 401 (1995) . https://ir.law.fsu.edu/lr/vol23/iss2/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Florida State University Law Review by an authorized editor of Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. USING LEADING QUESTIONS DURING DIRECT EXAMINATION CHARLES W. EHRHARDT* AND STEPHANIE J. YOUNG"* I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 401 II. BEFORE ADOPTION OF FLORIDA'S EVIDENCE CODE ......... 402 A. An Exception for Leading Questions on Direct Examination ................................................ 402 B. Voucher Rule Barred Impeaching a Party'sOwn Witness ....................................................... 404 III. ADOPTION OF FLORIDA'S EVIDENCE CODE ................... 405 A. Section 90.608: Impeaching an Adverse Witness... 405 B. Section 90.612(3): Use of Leading Questions ....... 406 C. 1990 Amendment to Section 90.608 ................... 408 D. Evidence Code Amendments Make Rule Unnecessary................................................ -
Character Evidence
Case Western Reserve University School of Law Scholarly Commons Faculty Publications 2001 Character Evidence Paul C. Giannelli Case Western University School of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/faculty_publications Part of the Evidence Commons, and the Litigation Commons Repository Citation Giannelli, Paul C., "Character Evidence" (2001). Faculty Publications. 209. https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/faculty_publications/209 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Case Western Reserve University School of Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Case Western Reserve University School of Law Scholarly Commons. kJ!CO S78 ,AilS" PBz I N .::.. I JrAt:J(I Vol. 23, No.1 January 2001 CHARACTER EVIDENCE Paul C. Giannelli Albert J. Weatherhead Ill & Richard W Weatherhead Professor of Law, Case Western Reserve University Ohio Rule 404(A) governs the circumstantial use of char ration, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or acter evidence, i.e., the admissibility of evidence of a char accident This subject will be discussed in the next issue. acter trait to prove that a person acted in conformity with that trait on a particular occasion (character-as-proof-of POLICY PROHIBITING CHARACTER & conduct). OTHER-ACTS EVIDENCE This use of character is sometimes referred to as Although character evidence may be probative in some "propensity'' or "disposition" evidence. See State v. Curry, 43 cases, it is generally excluded because it "usually is laden Ohio St2d 66, 68, 330 N.E.2d 720 (1975) ("propensity or in with the dangerous baggage of prejudice, distraction, and clination to commit crime"); State v. -
Privileges and Hearsay
Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary Volume 5 Issue 2 Article 2 10-15-1985 Two Notes on Evidence: Privileges and Hearsay J. W. Deese Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/naalj Part of the Administrative Law Commons, and the Evidence Commons Recommended Citation J. W. Deese, Two Notes on Evidence: Privileges and Hearsay, 5 J. Nat’l Ass’n Admin. L. Judges. (1985) available at https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/naalj/vol5/iss2/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Caruso School of Law at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. TWO NOTES ON EVIDENCE: PRIVILEGES AND HEARSAY Hon. J. W. Deese / A. PRIVILEGES I. Introduction Evidentiary rules of privilege differ from other rules of evidence or rules of admissibility in two important ways: (1) at some administrative tribunals, such as those under the Federal Administrative Procedure Act and some State Administrative Procedure Acts, the rules of evidence applicable in courts of general jurisdiction are not requir- ed to be applied; but even in these tribunals the rules of privilege still apply. (2) Unlike other rules of admissi- bility, which either determine the relevance of evidence or impose conditions of admissibility directed to improving the quality of proof and rejecting evidence which is either untrustworthy or unreliable; rules of privilege exist, not to enhance the search for the truth, but instead to forbid the admission of evidence because some consideration extrin- sic to the search for the truth is regarded as more impor- tant.