What are the rules of evidence in criminal cases?

The rules of evidence in criminal cases in Minnesota are the same as in any other state. These rules are in place to ensure that justice is served in the court of law. The main purpose of the rules of evidence is to ensure that only reliable and relevant evidence is presented in the trial. The most commonly used rule of evidence is the hearsay rule, which states that evidence heard through a third-party rather than directly observed is not admissible in court. This serves to prevent unreliable evidence from being used in a court of law. Another important rule of evidence is the best evidence rule, which requires that the highest quality evidence be presented in court. This means that any secondary evidence must be backed up by the best evidence available. Chain of custody is another important rule; it requires that a clear record be kept of who has had control of any evidence. This is important to ensure that any evidence presented is in the same condition as when it was collected and is true to its original form. Similar to the chain of custody rule is the relevance rule, which requires that any evidence presented in court be relevant to the case at hand. This means that any evidence must be related to the facts of the case and must have a bearing on its outcome. Finally, the burden of proof rule states that the prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt to get a guilty verdict. This includes proving the guilt of the accused beyond any reasonable doubt. This rule is in place to ensure that justice is served and that the accused is found guilty only if there is sufficient evidence against them.

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