Testimony is given by witnesses who have knowledge of a case, including eyewitnesses, character witnesses, and experts. Eyewitness testimony may not be reliable, and character witnesses must only attest to what they personally observed. Witnesses are prepared by attorneys before giving testimony in court.
In legal matters, testimony is given by a person who has knowledge of the case. The witness is asked questions by both sides’ lawyers and must answer truthfully. A person who is witnessing may have personally witnessed an event or provide insight into a person’s character. Some people called to participate in a judicial proceeding are called to testify for their expertise on a certain subject.
When witness testimony is given by a person who witnessed an accident or other event occur, that person is known as an eyewitness. He or she can answer questions about the event in question, but answers are limited to what the eyewitness personally saw, heard, or experienced. While eyewitness testimony may appear to be reliable in court, the opposite is true. For example, the person asked to identify the person who committed a crime may be wrong. Someone who has been in an accident or been the victim of a crime may not be entirely reliable due to the amount of stress existing at the time of the event.
Testimony given by someone who is making a statement about a person’s character must be viewed in light of the individual’s relationship to them. The character witness can only attest to what he personally observed about the person’s conduct and character. A teacher or work supervisor may be a more compelling character witness than a longtime friend, even though the friend may have a closer relationship with the individual. The friend’s testimony may be challenged because an attorney might argue that the friend is more likely to make statements to protect the person in question.
Experts provide a different type of testimony than an eyewitness or character witness. A doctor, scientist, or other individual with some level of expertise may be asked to give evidence in court. A physician may be asked to provide medical evidence about a crash victim’s injuries and prognosis for recovery. In other types of cases, a forensic expert will be asked to testify about the tests you conducted and the results that were found.
In any case where testimony is given, the witness will meet with the attorney who requested his presence in court to review his testimony. Witness preparation helps the person understand what will happen during the proceedings and be prepared for the types of questions they will be asked. Providing evidence in court can be nerve-wracking and being well prepared will help the witness feel a little more comfortable.
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