Evidence Flashcards
What is evidence
Evidence is the means, sanctioned by the Rules of Court, of ascertaining in a judicial proceeding the truth respecting a matter of fact
Principle of Uniformity
The rules of evidence shall be the same in all courts and in all trials and hearings. (Rule 128, Section 2)
XP: When otherwise provided by law or these rules, such as those enumerated under Rule 1, Sec. 4 of the Rules of Court (ROC): (1) Election cases;
(2) Land registration cases;
(3) Cadastral cases;
(4) Naturalization proceedings;
(5) Insolvency proceedings; and
(6) Other cases not herein provided for by law.
Kinds of Evidence as to its form
Documentary - Writings or any material offered as proof of their contents
Object - Evidence which directly addressed to the court’s senses
Testimonial - Consist of the statement of a witness offered to the court. Maybe oral/live or by judicial affidavit
Evidence vs Proof
Evidence - It is the medium or means of proving or disproving a fact. It is the medium of proof.
Proof - It is the effect and result of evidence. It is the probative effect of evidence and is the conviction or persuasion of the mind resulting from the consideration of the evidence
Factum Probans vs Probadum
Probans - The fact by which the factum probandum is to be established.
Probandum - The fact or proposition to be established.
S - The fact to be proved; the fact which is in issue and to which the evidence is directed.
UM - The probative or evidentiary fact tending to prove the fact in issue.
One must adduce during trial the factum probans or the evidentiary facts by which the factum probandum or the ultimate fact can be established.
Burden of Proof vs. Burden of Evidence
Burden of Proof - the duty of a party to present evidence on the facts in issue necessary to establish his or her claim or defense by the amount of evidence required by law. Burden of proof never shifts (Sec. 1, Rule 131, Rules of Court)
Burden of Evidence - the duty of a party to present evidence sufficient to establish or rebut a fact in issue to establish a prima facie case. Burden of Evidence may shift from one party to the other in the course of the proceedings, depending on the exigencies of the case
Admissibility of Evidence
refers to the question of whether or not the circumstance (or evidence) is to be considered at all. On the other hand, the probative value of evidence refers to the question of whether or not it proves an issue
Requisites for Admissibility
Evidence is admissible when it is relevant to the issue and is not excluded by the Constitution, the law or by the Rules of Court.
For evidence to be admissible, two elements must concur: (Admissibility = Relevancy + Competent)
a. Relevancy – it must have such a relation to the fact in issue as to induce belief in its existence or non-existence.
b. Competency – it must not be excluded by the Constitution, the law or by the rules (Rule 128, Sec. 3, as amended).
Right against self-incrimination as to object evidence
What the Constitution prohibits is the use of physical or moral compulsion to extort communication from the accused, but not an inclusion of his body in evidence, when it may be material.
Original Document Rule
When the subject of the inquiry is the contents of the document, no evidence shall be admissible other than the original document
Parole Evidence Rule
When the terms of an agreement have been reduced to writing, it is considered as containing all the terms agreed upon and there can be, as between the parties and their successors in interest, no evidence of such other terms other than the contents of their written agreements’
The parol evidence rule precisely forbids any addition to or contradiction of the terms of a written agreement by testimony or other extrinsic evidence purporting to show that, at or before the execution of the parties’ written agreement, other or different terms were agreed upon by the parties, varying the purport of the written contract. When an agreement has been reduced to writing, the parties cannot be permitted to adduce evidence to prove alleged practices which, to all purposes, would alter the terms of the written agreement. Whatever is not found in the writing is understood to have been waived and abandoned.
Hearsay Evidence Rule
a witness can testify only to those facts which he knows of his personal knowledge; that is, which are derived from his own perception
Offer of Compromise in Civil Case
In civil case, an offer of compromise is NOT admission of any liability and is NOT admissible in evidence against the offeror
Direct vs. Circumstantial Evidence
Direct - Evidence which proves a challenged fact without drawing any inference
Circumstantial - Indirectly proves a fact in issue, such that the factfinder must draw an inference or reason from circumstantial evidence
The difference between direct evidence and circumstantial evidence involves the relationship of the fact inferred to the facts that constitute the offense. Their difference does not relate to the probative value of the evidence.
Requisites to warrant a conviction based on circumstantial evidence
(a) there is more than one circumstance;
(b) the facts from which the inferences are derived are proven; and
(c) the combination of all the circumstances is such as to produce conviction beyond reasonable doubt (Rule 133, Sec. 4)
Positive vs. Negative Evidence
Positive - When a witness affirms in the stand that a certain state of facts exist or that a certain event happened
Negative - when the witness states that an event did not occur or that the state of facts alleged to exist does not exist
Requisites of Judicial Notice
(1)The matter must be of common knowledge;
(2)It must be well and authoritatively settled and not doubted or uncertain; and,
(3)It must be known to be within the limits of the jurisdiction of the court
Mandatory Judicial Notice
Mandatory
As a general rule, when the matter is subject to
a mandatory judicial notice, no motion or hearing
is necessary for the court may take judicial notice
of a fact.
(1) Existence and territorial extent of states;
(2) Their political history, forms of government
and symbols of nationality;
(3) The law of nations;
(4) The admiralty and maritime courts of the
world and their seals;
(5) The political constitution and history of the
Philippines;
(6) The official acts of the legislative, executive
and judicial departments of the National
Government of the Philippines;
Discretionary Judicial Notice
Discretionary Judicial Notice
- Matters which are of public knowledge
- Matters capable of unquestionable demonstration
- Matters ought to be known to judges because of their Judicial Functions
Is Judicial Notice equal to judicial knowledge?
No. Judicial Notice is not judicial knowledge. The mere personal knowledge of the judge is not the judicial knowledge of the court, and he is not authorized to make his individual knowledge of a fact, not generally or professionally known, the basis of his action
General Rule on Judicial Knowledge
As a general rule, courts are not authorized to take judicial notice of the contents of the records of other cases, even when such cases have been tried or are pending in the same, and notwithstanding the fact that both cases may have been tried or are actually pending before the same judge
Judicial Admission Requisites
- Made by party or his counsel
- Made in the course of the proceeding of the same case
- May be oral/written
How are Judicial Admissions Made
- In the pleadings
- In the course of trial/pre-trial
- Other stages of judicial proceedings
Basic requisites of admissibility of object evidence
- It must be relevant
- The evidence must be authenticated/requires testimonial sponsorship
- The authentication must be made by a competent witness
- The object must be formally offered in evidence
Categories of Object Evidence
- Actual/Autoptic - those which have a direct relation or part in the fact or incident brought to the court for personal examination by the judge. May be divided into 3 more categories:
a. Unique Objects - Those that have readily identifiable marks
b. Objects made unique - Those that are made readily identifiable
c. Non-unique objects - no identifying marks - Demonstrative Evidence - those that represent the actual object ( pics and vids) being offered to draw an inference or to aid in comprehending the verbal testimony of a witness
What constitutes documentary evidence?
Documents as evidence consists of writings, recordings, photographs or any material containing letters, words, sounds numbers, figures, symbols or their equivalent, or other modes of written expression offered as proof of their contents
Exceptions to the original document rule
- When the original is lost, destroyed or cannot be produced in court without the bad faith on the part of the offeror
- WHen the original is in the custody or control of the party against whom the evidence is offered, and the latter fails to produce it after reasonable notice, or the original cannot be obtained by local judicial processes or procedures
- When the original consists of numerous accounts or other documents which cannot be examined in court without great loss of time and the fact sought tp be established is the only the genral result of the whole
- When the original is a public record in the custody of a public officer or recorded in a public office
- WHen the originalis not closely related to a controlling issue
What is a duplicate
It is a counterpart produced by the same impression of the original , or from the same matrix, or by means of photography, including enlargements and miniatures, or by mechanical or electronic re-recording or by chemical reproduction or by other equivalent techniques which accurately reporduce the original
When is a duplicate not admissible
- A genuine question is raised as to the authenticity of the original
- It is unjust or inequitable to admit the duplicate in lieu of the original
What is secondary evidence
Secondary Evidence of the contents of a written instrument or document itself refers to evidence other than the original instrument or document itself
What are the requisites in introducing secondary evidence when the original is lost, destroyed or cannot be produced in court?
The offeror must prove the following
1. The existence or due execution of the original
2. The loss and destruction of the original or the reason for its nonproduction in court
3. on the part of the offeror, the absence of bad faith to which the unavailability of the original can be attributed
What can be considered as evidence when the original is unavailable
- Copy of the original document
- Recital of its contents in some authentic documents
- Testimony of witnesses
IN THE ORDER STATED
What are the requisites when the original is in the adverse party’s control
The offeror must prove the following:
- The existence of the document
- The document is under the control or custody of the adverse party
- the proponent has given reasonable opportunity to produce the original to the other party
- Despite reasonable notice, the other party failed to produce it
How do you present secondary evidence when the original is in the custody of a public officer?
- The contents may be proved by a CTC issued by the public officer in the custody thereof.
Exceptions to the parole evidence (five)
A party may present evidence to modify, explain, add or add to the terms of the agreement if he/she puts in issue in a VERIFIED PLEADING
- An intrinsic ambuguity
- The failure of the written agreement to express the true intent and agreement of the parties thereto
- The validity of the written agreement
- The existence of other terms agreed to by the parties or their successors-in-interest after the execution of the written agreement
Who is qualified to be a witness
All who perceives, and perceiving, can make known their perception to others, may be witnesses
Religious or politcal belief, interest in the outcome of the case or conviction of a crime unless otherwise provided for by law, shall not be a ground for disqualification
What is the presumption as to the competence of a witness?
As a general rule, when a witness takes the witness stand, the law presumes that he is competent to testify
May deaf-mutes be witnesses
Yes. All who persons who can perceive and make their perception known may be witnesses
Deaf-mutes may be witnesses where
1. They can understand and appreciate the sanctity of an oath
2. Can comprehend the facts on which they are going to testify
3. Can communicate their ideas through a qualified interpreterC
Competence vs. Credibility of a witness
Competence - refers to the basic qualifications of a witness as his capacity to perceive and communicate his perception to others. In deciding this, the court will not look into a witness’ trustworthiness
Credibility - Refers to the weight and trustworthiness/reliability of a witness.
Marital Disqualification Rule
During their marriage, neither the husband nor the wife may testify for or against the other without the consent of theaffected spouse
XP: In a civil case by one against the other
In a criminal case committed by one against the other or latter’s direct descendants or ascendants
Essential factors to establish existence of marital communication privilege
- There exists a valid marriage between H&W
- There was a communication received by the H/W during the subsistence of the marriage
- The communication was received in confidence
- The other spouse did not consent to the examination
- It is not a Crim/Civ case by one against the other or his direct AD
May the marital communication privilege be invoked even after the subsistence of marriage?
Yes. Rule 130 provides that the same is applicable during or after marriage
Marital Disqualification vs Marital Communication
MD - Disqualification is absolute. The H/W cannot testify against the other without the consent of the other spouse
MC - Disqualification is relatiev such that the HW is only prohibited to testify on matters received by him/her in confidence during the marriage without the consent of the other spouse
MD - May be invoked only during the marriage
MC - May be invoked during or after the marriage
Parental Privilege Rule
A parent cannot be compelled to testify against their child or other direct descendants
Filial Privilege Rule
A child may not be compelled to testify against his parent or other direct ascendants
Does the Parental/Filial Privilege Rule apply to criminal cases?
Yes.
XP: 1. Such testimony is indispensable in a crime committed against such direct descendant
- In a crime committed by one parent against the other
Privilege relating to trade secrets
A person cannot be compelled to testify about any trade secret
XP: The non disclosure will conceal fraud or otherwise work injustice
Is an offer of compromise in civil cases admissible in evidence?
No it not an admission of any liability and is not admissible in evidence against the offereor
Is an offer of compromise in criminal cases admissible in evidence?
Yes,except those involcing quasi-offenses or those allowed by law to be compromised
Is a plea of guilty later withdrawn or an unaccepted offer of a plea of guilty to a lesser offense admissible?
No. neither is any statement made in the course of plea bargaining with the prosecution
Good Samaritan Rule
An offer to pay medical, hospital or other expenses is not admissible in evidence as proof of civil or criminal liability for the injury
Res Inter Alios Acta
- The rights of a party cannot be prejudiced by an ado of another
- Evidence of previous conduct or similar acts at one time is not admissible to prove that one did or did not do the same act at another time
Res Inter Alios Acta in relation to co-accused
Extrajudcial confessions are only binding on the confessant and not admissible against the co-accused and is considered hearsay
Exceptions to Res Inter Alios Acta
Admissions by a parter r co-agent
Admissions of a joint owner, joint debtor or other interested person
by a conspirator
by privies
by silence
What is hearsay
a statement made by one other than the declarant while testifying at trial or hearing, offered to prove the truth of the facts asserted therein
When is a statement not considered hearsay
A statement is not hearsay if the DECLARANT TESITIFIES at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross-e and the statement is:
- Inconsistent with the declarant’s testimony and was given under oath subject to the penalty of perjury
- Consistent with the declarant’s testimony and is offered to rebut am express or implied charge against the declarant of recent fabrication or improper influence
- One of identification of a person made after perceiving him or her
Requisites of Dying Declaration
- The declaration concerns the cause and the surrounding circumstances of the declarant’s death
- It is made when death appears to be imminent and declarant is under conciousness of an impending death
- The declarant would have been competent to testify had he or she survived
- The dying declaration is offered in a case in which the subject of inquiry involves the declarant’s death
Requisites for Spontaneous Exclamations res gestae
- The principal act, the res gestae, be a startling occurrence
- The statements were made before, during or shortly after the declarant had time to contrive or devise
- That the statements made must concern the occurrence in question and its immediately attending circumstances
Verbal Res Gestae
- The principal act to be characterized must be equivocal
- Equivocal act must be material to the issue
- Statements must accompany the equivocal act
- Statements give a legal significance to the equivocal act