What are the rules of evidence in criminal cases?

Rules of evidence in criminal cases in New York regulate what kind of evidence is admissible in a trial. Generally, the evidence must be relevant, material, and competent to be admitted in a criminal trial. Relevant evidence is anything that tends to prove or disprove a fact of consequence in the criminal case. Material evidence is evidence that is important to the issues in the case. Competent evidence is evidence that is reliable and trustworthy and has not been tampered with and is not made up. When considering evidence admissibility in criminal trials, New York courts also consider whether certain items known as “real evidence” can be admitted into the trial. Examples of real evidence include physical evidence such as weapons or substances, photographs, recordings, or documents. In some circumstances, real evidence must be authenticated through witnesses who have seen or had control of the evidence prior to the trial. Additionally, New York courts also consider whether to admit testimony given by witnesses who are expert witnesses or have personal knowledge of the events in the case. Expert witnesses are people who have specialized expertise or education related to a specific topic that may be relevant to the trial. This expert testimony is generally used to help a jury understand complex issues and requires the expert witness to be qualified and accepted by the court as an expert witness. Personal knowledge testimony typically involves lay witnesses with direct knowledge of the events in the case, and can come from any type of witness. In conclusion, the rules of evidence in criminal cases in New York help ensure that only reliable and trustworthy evidence is heard in court. The court must review all evidence to make sure that it is relevant, material, and competent before allowing it to be admitted into the court proceedings.

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What are the rules of evidence in criminal cases?

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