What is hearsay evidence?

Hearsay evidence is something that was heard or seen second-hand and not directly by the person who is testifying in court. In legal terms, this is known as an out-of-court statement. This type of statement can be unreliable because it was not made in the presence of a courtroom or under oath. For example, if Person A tells Person B what they witnessed, and Person B is then called to testify in court, then Person B’s testimony is hearsay evidence, because they did not actually witness the event. Person B is describing something that they heard second-hand. In Maryland, hearsay evidence is generally not admissible in court. This is because it is considered to be too unreliable and is not an accurate reflection of what actually happened. When hearsay evidence is presented in court, it is important for the judge to determine whether or not the evidence is reliable enough to be used as evidence. Hearsay evidence can be tricky for a judge and jury to figure out, so it is important to be as thorough as possible when presenting any evidence in court. If something is deemed to be hearsay, then it cannot be used as evidence, and therefore it is impossible to make a guilty or not guilty verdict based on it.

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