Rules of Evidence

Understanding how relevance determines admissibility is key to grasping trial evidence rules. Not all relevant evidence makes it before a jury.

Opening statements can sound dramatic, but they're not evidence. Learn when they happen, what each side is allowed to say, and how judges handle improper comments.

Closing arguments tie together evidence and legal principles, guiding jurors through complexities of a criminal case. Learn how attorneys craft, deliver, and defend their final words in a criminal trial and the consequences of a misstep.

Understand how cross-examination works, the rules of the courtroom, and how to stay calm and confident during questioning.

Evidence doesn't automatically make it into court. Learn how the chain of custody works, why it's important, what challenges can be made, and what happens when there's a break in the chain.

Charged with a crime and wondering if friends or family can vouch for you? This article explains what character evidence is, when you can use it, how prosecutors can hit back, and why the mercy rule can sometimes hurt more than it helps.

Are you thinking about testifying in your trial? Discover how your past convictions may be used by prosecutors and how judges decide which convictions are admissible and which are not.

What protects sexual assault victims from intrusive and embarrassing questions about their sexual histories in court? Discover the purpose, function, and limits of rape shield laws.

When they're depicted on television, prosecutors and other lawyers are often aggressive and seem to make statements to, rather than ask questions of, witnesses. Is this how it goes in a real courtroom?

Explains how redirect and re-cross let attorneys clean up confusion, address new information, or repair any damage to a witness’s credibility.

Psychotherapy is, for the most part, confidential. Patients of mental health providers like psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers reasonably expect that their in-therapy disclosures will remain private.