What is the Military Rules of Evidence (MRE) 608?

The Military Rules of Evidence (MRE) 608 is an important rule in military law in California. It governs the admissibility of records of prior convictions at court-martials. MRE 608 states that evidence of prior convictions of an accused may be received if its probative value outweighs prejudice to the accused. The rule also specifies what types of information may be admitted and how the court-martial should consider the evidence. In general, the prosecution must prove three things to justify the admission of evidence of a prior conviction: 1) that the accused was in fact convicted of a crime; 2) that the crime was punishable by confinement or a dishonorable or bad-conduct discharge; and 3) that the court-martial has properly weighed the probative value of the evidence against its prejudicial effect. MRE 608 is an important rule of evidence in military law in California because it ensures that the accused receives a fair trial. It also regulates how much evidence of a prior conviction can be admitted into a court-martial. This helps to ensure that the accused is not prejudiced by evidence of a past conviction and that the evidence presented is relevant and trustworthy.

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What is the Military Rules of Evidence (MRE) 608?

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