What is the standard of review on a trial court’s decision to admit or exclude evidence?
In Colorado, the standard of review for a trial court’s decision to admit or exclude evidence is called the “abuse of discretion” standard. This means that the court of appeals will not reverse, or change, the decision of the trial court unless they find that the trial court made an unreasonable decision. In other words, if the trial court made a decision that reasonable people could disagree with, the appellate court will not disturb it. When it comes to deciding whether evidence is admissible or not, trial courts have a wide range of discretion. As such, the court of appeals typically will not interfere with the trial court’s decision unless it can be demonstrated that the trial court did not exercise its discretion in a reasonable manner or abused its discretion in some way. In making its decision, the court of appeals will consider the evidence presented at the trial court level. If the trial court had a valid reason for excluding or admitting evidence, the court of appeals will generally affirm the ruling. However, if it appears that the trial court acted arbitrarily or without any logical reason, the court of appeals will reverse the ruling. In summary, the standard of review for a trial court’s decision to admit or exclude evidence in Colorado is the “abuse of discretion” standard. This means that the court of appeals will only reverse the trial court’s decision if it was made in an unreasonable manner.
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