What is the purpose of impeachment of a witness in criminal proceedings?
The purpose of impeaching (or discrediting) a witness in criminal proceedings is to test the credibility of that witness. Impeachment is used to raise doubts about a witness’s statement by drawing attention to any inconsistencies between the witness’s present testimony and prior statements that they have made or behavior they have engaged in. For instance, if a witness has a history of lying or of changing their story, a lawyer might attempt to impeach that witness in order to raise doubts about their testimony. In Washington, impeachment of a witness is used to challenge the accuracy of their testimony. To impeach a witness, a litigant (the prosecution or the defense) must present evidence that the witness made a statement that is inconsistent with the testimony they are giving in court, or that the witness has a history of dishonesty. The witness can then be questioned about the inconsistency and asked to explain why or how the statement or behavior occurred. This is done to show that the witness is not being truthful or is unreliable as a witness. Impeaching a witness can be an effective strategy to raise doubts about the witness’s credibility, which can help to support the attorney’s case. If a jury or a judge finds that a witness is not credible, they may assign less weight to the witness’s testimony when determining the outcome of the case. Impeachment is an important part of the criminal justice process in Washington and helps to ensure a fair trial.
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