Hearsay is testimony that is given by a witness who relates not what he or she knows personally, but what others have said, and that is therefore dependent on the credibility of someone other than the witness. Such testimony is generally inadmissible. The chief reasons for the rule are that out-of-court statements amounting to hearsay are not made under oath and are not subject to cross examination.
Understanding what is hearsay, what is not hearsay and how to effectively use the Rules of Evidence as they relate to hearsay is important if your case will be litigated before a judge or jury. Learning the “art” of hearsay is difficult and in our opinion is best learned in trial. At Canan Law we have combined experience of more than 200 jury trials. No other Firm in town comes close to these numbers. If you or a loved one has a pending criminal case, call 904-824-9402 to make an appointment and let us tell you more about our successes.