Law of Evidence: Witnesses and Testimony

These flashcards cover important terminology and concepts related to witnesses and their roles within the legal system as discussed in the lecture notes on the Law of Evidence.

Witness

A person who can provide information about facts or circumstances relevant to a legal case.

Informant

A person who provides information to the authorities, but who is not necessarily a witness in a legal case.

Eye Witness

A person who has seen an event and can provide testimony about what they observed.

Chance Witness

A person who happens to be at or near the scene of a crime and may provide testimony.

Expert Witness

A witness who has specialized knowledge or expertise relevant to the case and can provide opinion evidence.

Hostile Witness

A witness who shows bias or is against the party that called them to testify.

Interested Witness

A witness who has a personal stake in the outcome of the case or who desires to see someone convicted.

Dumb Witness

A witness who cannot communicate verbally but may provide evidence through other means such as writing or sign language.

Judicial Privilege

The right of a judge not to disclose information about their judicial conduct or decisions.

Privileged Communication

Confidential communications between spouses or certain professionals that cannot be disclosed in court.

Corroborative Witness

A witness whose testimony supports or confirms the testimony of another witness.

Material Witness

A witness who has crucial information that is essential to proving one party's case.

Child Witness

A witness who is a minor and whose testimony may be subject to special scrutiny regarding its reliability.

Competency to Testify

The legal ability of a person to testify in court, often depending on their understanding of the situation.

Evidentiary Value

The significance or weight that a piece of evidence holds in a court of law.

Testimony

A formal statement given by a witness in court regarding what they know about the case.