What is hearsay evidence?

Hearsay evidence is when a witness testifies in court about something that they heard from someone else rather than from their own observation. It is important to understand that in a court of law, hearsay evidence is not valid or reliable. This is because, unless the witness is an eyewitness, it is difficult to determine the accuracy of the statement or the context in which it was said. In California, hearsay evidence is not admissible in court. This is based on the legal premise that, since the witness did not witness or directly experience the event, the testimony cannot be safely relied upon. It is also important to note that even if a person was an eyewitness to an event, they may not be able to testify if they were not personally aware of the context or details of the event. It is important to remember that hearsay cannot be used to support the facts of a case. The judge may allow it to be used in certain circumstances, such as to explain why the witness believes what they are testifying to, but it will not be accepted on its own. The jury also must be instructed that they cannot use hearsay as evidence when making their verdict.

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