What are the rules of evidence-gathering at a criminal trial?

In Washington, evidence-gathering for criminal trials is governed by the Rules of Evidence and the Washington State Constitution. The Rules of Evidence are designed to ensure fair and accurate trials and to protect the rights of all parties involved. Generally speaking, all evidence must be relevant to the case, reliable, and legally obtained in order to be admissible in court. Relevant evidence is defined as evidence that is logically connected to the facts of the case and will help the jury to Reach a verdict. Reliability is determined based on the source of the evidence and its trustworthiness. Legally obtained evidence must be obtained within the framework of the law and in accordance with the rules of evidence-gathering. In Washington, evidence must be presented in the form of sworn affidavits, witness testimony, physical evidence, or tangible documents. In addition, evidence may be admitted into court through the testimony of experts, who are qualified to provide specialized information. The court may also consider circumstantial evidence, which is evidence that may be used to infer a fact or to provide a reasonable explanation of the facts of the case. Finally, the court must weigh the credibility of any and all witnesses who are called to testify. In some instances, the court may allow for the admission of hearsay evidence, which is an out-of-court statement that could be used to prove or disprove facts in the case. However, hearsay evidence is often not considered as credible as other forms of evidence, and is weighed much more carefully by the court.

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What are the rules of evidence-gathering at a criminal trial?

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