Evidence: The Focus is on Quality not Quantity

The “weight of evidence” in a criminal trial does not refer to quantity. It is about the relevancy, credibility and persuasiveness to convince one side’s argument over the other. It is about the strength and reliability of what is presented, and the overall impact, not the total number of pieces of evidence presented.

In this episode Bill and Jordan delve into what is, what isn’t, and what may be accepted as evidence by a judge at trial. They talk about hearsay evidence, and why it is generally prohibited because of the Best Evidence Rule, but they also highlight a few of the legally recognized exceptions to the rule. They also address witness testimony and point out some of the considerations by both the prosecution and the defense in selecting the right people to present critical information at trial.

Listen in to the discussion, and, if you are left with questions or concerns about the episode, please address them in the comments section of www.powersonpolicing.com, and we will highlight and discuss them in our next episode.