Prior Bad

Testimony of prior bad acts, wherein testimony of wrongs that cannot be proven or which are barred from prosecution by the statute of limitations, are generally inadmissible to prove criminal conduct.

Character evidence is admissible in a criminal trial if offered by a defendant as circumstantial evidencethrough reputation or opinion evidenceto show their own character, as long as the character evidence the defendant seeks to introduce is relevant to the crime with which the defendant is charged.

There are two basic factors that are considered when determining whether evidence is admissible or not: Relevant The evidence must prove or disprove an important fact in the criminal case. If the evidence doesn't relate to a particular fact, it is considered "irreelvant" and is therefore inadmissible.

Short Video: Evidence Law: The Rule of Relevance and Admissibility of Character Evidence. Testimony of prior bad acts, wherein testimony of wrongs that cannot be proven or which are barred from prosecution by the statute of limitations, are generally inadmissible to prove criminal conduct.

Primary tabs. Evidence that can not be presented to the jury or decision maker for any of a variety of reasons: it was improperly obtained, it is prejudicial (the prejudicial value outweighs the probative value), it is hearsay, it is not relevant to the case, etc.

Under the Federal Rule of Evidence (often referred to as the FRE) section 609, prior criminal convictions can only be used if the conviction was punishable by more than one year in prison, and the value of the evidence does not result in an unfair advantage to the prosecution.

Basically, if evidence is to be admitted at court, it must be relevant, material, and competent. To be considered relevant, it must have some reasonable tendency to help prove or disprove some fact.

Demonstrative.Documentary.Real.Testimonial.

Evidence is relevant if it logically goes to proving or disproving some fact at issue in the prosecution. It is admissible if it relates to the facts in issue, or to circumstances that make those facts probable or improbable, and has been properly obtained.