Evidence Flashcards
Where FRE applies
- civil, criminal, and non-summary contempt proceedings before all federal district courts and courts of appeals
- federal bankruptcy courts
- U.S. Courts of Federal Claims
FRE does not apply to
- trial judge’s determination on preliminary question of fact governing admissibility
- grand jury proceedings
- preliminary examination in criminal cases
- extradition or rendition proceedings
- sentencing and probation hearings
- proceedings to obtain a warrant or criminal summons
- bail proceedings
- summary contempt proceedings
Relevance: Rule 401
evidence is probative if it has any tendency to make a fact more or less probable than if evidence was not introduced at all
Relevance: Rule 403 Balancing Test
can exclude relevant evidence if probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger that it will cause unfair prejudice, confuse the issues, mislead the jury, cause undue delay, waste time, or result in needlessly cumulative evidence
Limiting Instruction
court can admit evidence for one purpose but not for others if it provides a limiting instruction to the jury telling them to only consider the evidence for permissible purposes
Policy-Based Exclusions of Relevant Evidence
even if relevant, can exclude:
- subsequent remedial measures
- offers to compromise and statements during settlement negotiations
- offers to pay medical expenses
- proof of liability insurance
- guilty pleas (in certain situations)
*even if not admissible for the specific policy reason, may be admissible for another relevant purpose, such as ownership, control, feasibility, motive, bias, prejudice, etc.
Subsequent Remedial Measures
evidence of measures taken after an injury are inadmissible to prove:
- negligence
- culpable conduct
- defect in manufacture or design
- need for a warning or instruction
Offers to Compromise / Statements During Settlement Negotiations
after claim made or threatened, evidence that someone furnished, promised, offered, or accepted valuable consideration in settling / attempting to settle a DISPUTED civil claim is INADMISSIBLE when:
- offered to prove liability or the absence of liability or the amount of the disputed claim
- offered to impeach a witness with a prior inconsistent statement or a contradiction
Offer to Pay Medical Expenses
offer to pay hospital and similar expenses resulting from injury are inadmissible to prove liability BUT other statements made during the conversation are admissible
Guilty Plea: Inadmissible
- fact that defendant entered guilty plea that was later withdrawn or a plea of nolo contendere against defendant in any criminal or civil case
- statements made to a prosecutor during plea discussions if the discussions do not result in a guilty plea or the plea is withdrawn
- statements made by the defendant during the court’s questioning to determine whether the court will accept the guilty plea, if the court does not accept the guilty plea or the plea is later withdrawn
*2 and 3 may be admitted:
- if another statement made during plea negotiations is admitted and fairness requires consideration of the statements together OR
- in perjury prosecution, if statement was made under oath, on the record, and with counsel present
Proof of Liability Insurance
evidence that person was/was not insured against liability insurance is inadmissible to prove negligence or other wrongful conduct by that person
Competency
Presumed unless provided otherwise
Competency: Judges / Jurors
cannot serve as witness at that trial
Competency: Lay Witnesses
- PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE
lay witness can share opinion IF:
- rationally based on witness’s perception
- helps jury to clearly understand the witness’s testimony or resolve a factual issue AND
- not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge
Competency: Expert Witnesses
- testimony based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge
- witness is qualified as an expert, based upon knowledge, skill, experience, training or education
- testimony is reliable and relevant
- testimony is based on permissible sources of facts or date
- testimony does not concern a criminal defendant’s mental state
Expert Testimony: Relevant and Reliable
Relevant: helps jury understand evidence or determine a fact at issue
Reliable (Daubert):
- reliably tested
- subjected to peer review and publication
- known or potential rate of error
- generally accepted in the scientific community
Expert Testimony: Independently Admissible
expert can base opinions on facts or data that is not admissible if others in the field would similarly rely on those facts and data
Expert Testimony: Criminal Defendant’s Mental State
no blanket prohibition on expert offering opinion on an ultimate issue. BUT cannot opine on whether defendant did or did not have the mental state or condition necessary to establish an element of the crime charged or defense asserted
Order and Scope of Examination
scope of cross is limited to matters affecting credibility and matters raised on direct.
Trial court should exercise reasonable control over order and scope of presenting evidence and examining witnesses to facilitate a determination of the truth, avoid wasting time, and protect witnesses from harassment or undue embarassment
Leading questions
- not allowed in direct UNLESS witness is hostile, adverse party, or identified with an adverse party.
Judicial Notice
should be granted upon party request or court’s own motion if the fact:
- is an adjudicative fact (relates to parties or issue in case) and
- not subject to reasonable dispute because it either (a) is generally known within the court’s territorial jurisdiction or (b) can be accurately and readily determined by reference to sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned
Exclusion of witnesses
upon party request or court’s own motion, court must exclude witness so that it cannot hear other witness testimony.
CANNOT EXCLUDE:
- person who is party to the case
- employee or officer to the case, after being designated by counsel as that party’s representative
- someone who presence has been shown by one of the parties to be essential to that party’s presentation of its case
- someone authorized by statute to be present
Refreshing a Witness’s Recollection
party can refresh a witness’s memory using any item IF:
- witness indicates cannot recall fact important to the case AND
- adverse party has opportunity to inspect the item and cross witness
Refreshing a Witness’s Recollection: Admissibility
item itself cannot be admitted by proponent but adverse party may admit to the extent it relates to the testimony