Names of objections
what is asked and answered?
when a question has already been asked and answered, and the attorney is attempting to elicit the same information again.
what is speculation?
Asking a witness to guess or assume something they don't know for sure.
“What did your neighbor tell you about the accident?"
Hearsay
"What time did you see the defendant leave?"
“And again, what time did you see the defendant leave?”
asked and answered
What is hearsay?
when a witness attempts to testify about a statement made outside of court
what is compound question?
combines multiple questions into one, making it difficult for the witness to provide a clear and concise answer.
"You saw the defendant run the red light, didn’t you?”
leading
"Did you see the defendant enter the building and take the package?”
compound question
What is leading?
suggests an answer or directs the witness toward a particular response, only used during a cross examination
what is argumentative?
question that challenges or argues with the witness rather than seeking information, tries debating with the witness.
“What’s your favorite movie?” *a question in a murder case*
relevance
“Isn’t it true you were lying to the police?”
argumentative
What is lack of foundation?
when an attorney attempts to introduce evidence or testimony without first establishing its relevance or authenticity.
what is Improper character evidence?
using someone's general personality traits to infer their specific behavior in a given situation
“Why do you think the defendant went to the warehouse?”
speculation
“Tell us everything that happened on the day of the accident.”
narrative question
what is relevance?
Introducing information that doesn't relate to the case.
what is narrative?
when a question is too broad or open-ended, prompting the witness to provide a lengthy, uncontrolled response that may stray from the specific issue at hand.
“What was happening in the room before you arrived?”
lack of personal knowledge
(without showing the witness the document or establishing they have seen or read it before)
“What was written in the contract?”
lack of foundation