Explore the legal terms and concepts related to Character Evidence. Click on any term below to learn more about its definition and applications.
What are habit and custom evidence?
Habit evidence requires the repeated, same response to the same stimulus. In contrast, custom refers...
In California, when can prior acts of domestic violence or elder abuse be admissible?
Evidence of prior domestic violence or elder abuse is admissible when offered in a criminal case ari...
How do California's rules differ from the Federal rules when it comes to introducing character evidence in a case involving sexual assault or child molestation?
Unlike the Federal rules, which allow some character evidence to be admissible in criminal or civil...
In California, if the defendant offers evidence of a victim's violent character, what can the prosecution offer to rebut?
If the defendant first offers evidence of the victim's violent character (by reputation, opinion, or...
How is the process of offering character evidence generally handled in California?
Generally, character evidence is first offered by the defendant in the form of reputation or opinion...
How is the process of offering character evidence generally handled under the Federal rules?
Generally, character evidence is first offered by the defendant in the form of reputation or opinion...
When is evidence of prior sexual assault or child molestation admissible?
Evidence of a prior sexual assault or child molestation is admissible when offered in a criminal or...
If the defendant offers evidence of a victim's bad character, what can the prosecution offer to rebut?
If the defendant first offers evidence of the victim's bad character (by reputation or opinion), the...
When is character evidence admissible in homicide cases involving self defense? What kinds are admissible?
In a homicide case where the defendant claims self defense, the prosecution may introduce evidence o...
When assessing character evidence, what are non-character purposes?
Evidence that is otherwise reflective of character may be used for certain non-character related pur...
What is character evidence?
Character evidence is the use of a trait to suggest the trait makes it more likely that a party enga...
When is character evidence admissible in criminal cases?
Character evidence is only admissible where the character trait itself is in issue. We cover specifi...
In cases involving sexual assault, when may a defendant introduce specific act evidence?
A defendant may introduce specific act evidence only to: (1) prove someone other than the defendant...
When is character evidence admissible in civil cases?
Character evidence is only admissible in civil cases where the character trait itself is in issue (e...
