What are the rules of evidence?

In Virginia, the rules of evidence regulate what kind of evidence is admissible in court. Basically, this means that certain kinds of evidence can and cannot be used by the court to make decisions about a case. Generally, evidence must be relevant, reliable, and material to the case. Relevance means that the evidence must have something to do with the facts of the case. Reliability means the evidence must be reliable, and the source of the evidence must be deemed credible. Materiality means that the evidence must be important to the case. Types of evidence that can be presented in court include testimony, documents, physical evidence, and expert opinions. Testimony includes statements from witnesses about what they have seen and heard. Documents can be anything from contracts to emails. Physical evidence includes any tangible items, like photographs or drugs. Expert opinions are views from experts in the relevant field that help explain matters to the court. Objections can be made to certain types of evidence if the court finds that it is not relevant, reliable or material. If an objection is made, the court will consider it and make a decision on whether or not to admit it. Overall, the rules of evidence help to ensure that court proceedings are fair and that decisions are made based on reliable evidence.

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