Impeachment of Witnesses Because of Inconsistent Statements is a legal procedure in which a witness's credibility is challenged due to inconsistencies between the witness's statements. This can happen through cross-examination, when the witness contradicts their own statements or contradicts the testimony of another witness. This type of impeachment can be used in both criminal and civil proceedings. There are two types of Impeachment of Witnesses Because of Inconsistent Statements: direct and indirect. Direct impeachment uses the witness's own statements to impeach them, while indirect impeachment uses other evidence or testimony to impeach the witness. In both cases, the witness's credibility is challenged and their testimony may be disregarded.