JulNYMBEOKEvidence.docx
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JulNYMBEOKEvidence.docx
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JulNYMBEOKEvidence
FederalRuleofEvidence
NEWYORK
July13,2009
I.GENERALCONSIDERATIONS
A.SOURCESOFEVIDENCELAW
Therearethreesourcesofevidencelaw:
(i)statecommonlawandmiscellaneousstatestatutes,(ii)comprehensivestateevidencecodes,and(iii)theFederalRulesofEvidence.
ExamTip:
TheFederalRulesgovernontheMultistateBarExamination(“MBE”).Bewareofanswerchoicesstatingthecorrectcommonlawrule,ratherthantheFederalRule.
B.THRESHOLDADMISSIBILITYISSUES
Generally,relevantevidenceisadmissibleifitiscompetent.UndertheFederalRules,“relevantevidence”tendstoprove(probativeness)anyfactofconsequencetotheaction(materiality).Evidenceiscompetentifitdoesnotviolateanyexclusionaryrule(e.g.,thehearsayrule).
C.DIRECTANDCIRCUMSTANTIALEVIDENCE
Directevidenceinvolvesnoinferences.Itistestimonyorrealevidencethatspeaksdirectlytoamaterialissueinthecase.Circumstantialevidenceisindirectandreliesoninference.Itisevidenceofasubsidiaryorcollateralfactfromwhich,aloneorinconjunctionwithfacts,theexistenceofthematerialissuecanbeinferred.
D.LIMITEDADMISSIBILITY
Evidencemaybeadmissibleforonepurposebutnotanother,oradmissibleagainstonepartybutnotanother.Inthesesituations,thecourtmust,uponrequest,restricttheevidencetoitsproperscopeandinstructthejuryaccordingly.
II.RELEVANCE
ExamTip:
Relevancequestionsshouldbeapproachedintwosteps.Step1:
Determinewhethertheevidenceisrelevant(i.e.,tendstoproveordisproveamaterialfact).Step2:
Ifrelevant,determinewhethertheevidenceshouldnonethelessbeexcludedbasedon:
(i)judicialdiscretion(i.e.,probativevalueoutweighedbyprejudice,etc.),or(ii)publicpolicy(e.g.,insurance,subsequentrepairs).
A.DETERMININGRELEVANCE
Evidenceisrelevantifittendstomaketheexistenceofanyfactofconsequencetotheoutcomeoftheactionmoreprobablethanitwouldbewithouttheevidence.
1.GeneralRule-MustRelatetoTime,Event,orPersoninControversy
Generally,theevidencemustrelatetothetime,event,orpersoninvolvedinthepresentlitigation;otherwise,itisnotrelevant.
Whenconsideringtherelevanceofevidencerelatingtoatime,event,orpersonotherthantheoneatissue,animportantfactorisitsproximityintimetothecurrentevents.
2.Exceptions-CertainSimilarOccurrencesAreRelevant
Previoussimilaroccurrencesmayberelevantiftheyareprobativeofamaterialissueandthatprobativenessoutweighstheriskofconfusionorunfairprejudice.Thefollowingareexamplesofrelevantsimilaroccurrences:
DeterminingAdmissibilityofEvidence
Step1:
Istheevidencerelevant?
Step2:
Isthereaproperfoundation(e.g.,hasthecompetencyofthewitness,theauthenticityoftheevidence,orthereliabilityofthescientifictestbeenestablished)?
Step3:
Istheevidenceintheproperform(e.g.,questionsareproperlyphrased,answersarewithintherequirementsforlayandexpertopinion,anddocumentscomplywiththebestevidencerule)?
Step4:
Istheevidencebeyondtheapplicationof,orwithinanexceptionto,oneofthefollowingexclusionaryrule?
▪Discretionaryexclusionforprejudice(Rule§403)
▪Policy-basedexclusions(i.e.,subsequentremedialmeasures,settlementnegotiations)
▪Privilege
▪Hearsay
▪Parolevidence
Admissible
a.Causation
Complicatedissuesofcausationmaybeestablishedbyevidenceconcerningothertimes,events,orpersons(e.g.,damagetonearbyhomescausedbyD’sblastingisrelevanttoproveD’sblastingdamagedP’shome).
b.PriorFalseClaimsorSameBodilyInjury
Evidencethatapersonhaspreviouslyfiledsimilartortclaimsorhasbeeninvolvedinprioraccidentsisgenerallyinadmissibletoshowtheinvalidityofthepresentclaim.Butevidencethatthepartyhasmadeprevioussimilarfalseclaimsorclaimsinvolvingthesamebodilyinjuryisusuallyrelevanttoprovethat:
(i)thepresentclaimislikelytobefalse,or(ii)theplaintiff’sconditionisattributableinwholeorinparttothepriorinjury.
c.SimilarAccidentsorInjuriesCausedbySameEventorCondition
Evidenceofprioraccidentsorinjuriescausedbythesameeventorconditionisadmissibletoprove:
(i)theexistenceofadangerouscondition,(ii)thatthedefendanthadknowledgeofthedangerouscondition,and(iii)thatthedangerousconditionwasthecauseofthepresentinjury.
1)AbsenceofSimilarAccidents
Manycourtsarereluctanttoadmitevidenceoftheabsenceofsimilaraccidentstoshowabsenceofnegligenceorlackofadefect.However,evidenceoftheabsenceofcomplaintsisadmissibletoshowthedefendant’slackofknowledgeofthedanger.
d.PreviousSimilarActsAdmissibletoProveIntent
Similarconductpreviouslycommittedbyapartymaybeintroducedtoprovetheparty’spresentmotiveorintentwhensuchelementsarerelevant(e.g.,historyofschoolsegregationadmissibletoshowmotiveforcurrentexclusionofminorities).
e.RebuttingClaimofImpossibility
Therequirementthatprioroccurrencesbesimilartothelitigatedactmayberelaxedwhenusedtorebutaclaimofimpossibility(e.g.,defendant’sclaimthatcarwillnotgoabove50m.p.h.canberebuttedbyshowingoccasionswhencarwentmorethan50m.p.h.).
f.SalesofSimilarProperty
Evidenceofsalesofsimilarpersonalorrealpropertythatarenottooremoteintimeisadmissibletoprovevalue.Pricesquotedinmereofferstopurchasearenotadmissible.However,evidenceofunacceptedoffersbyapartytotheactiontobuyorsellthepropertymaybeusedagainsthimasanadmission.
g.Habit
Habitdescribesaperson’sregularresponsetoaspecificsetofcircumstances.Incontrast,characterdescribesone’sdispositioninrespecttogeneraltraits.UnderFederalRuleof406,evidenceofthehabitofapersonisrelevanttoprovethattheconductofthepersononaparticularoccasionwasinconformitywiththehabit.
ExamTip:
Watchforwardssuchas“instinctively”and“automatically”inaquestion’sfactpattern.Thesewordsindicatehabit.
h.IndustrialorBusinessRoutine
Evidencethataparticularbusinesshadanestablishedbusinessroutineisrelevantastendingtoshowthataparticulareventoccurred.
i.IndustryCustomasEvidenceofStandardofCare
Industrycustommaybeofferedtoshowadherencetoordeviancefromanindustrywidestandardofcare.However,industrycustomisnotconclusiveonthispoint;e.g.,anentireindustrymaybeactingnegligently.
CharacterEvidencevs.HabitEvidence
CharacterEvidence
HabitEvidence
“Sallyisalwaysinahurry.”
“Sallyalwaystakesthestairstwoatatime.”
“Bartisadrunk.”
“BartstopsatCharllie’staverneverynightafterworkandhasexactlyfourbeers.”
“Jeffisacarelessdriver.”
“JeffneverslowsdownfortheYIELDsignattheendofthestreet.”
“Laraisveryconscientiousaboutthemaintenanceofhercar.”
“LarachecksthebrakesonhercareverySundaybeforechurch.”
B.DISCRETIONARYEXCLUSIONOFRELEVANTEVIDENCE
Atrialjudgehasbroaddiscretiontoexcluderelevantevidenceifitsprobativevalueissubstantiallyoutweighedbythedangerofunfairprejudice,confusionofissues,misleadingthejury,unduedelay,orwasteoftime.
ExamTip:
UndertheFederalRules,unfairsurpriseisnotavalidgrounduponwhichtoexcluderelevantevidence.
C.EXCLUSIONOFRELEVANTEVIDENCEFORPUBLICPOLICYREASONS
CertainevidenceofquestionablerelevanceisexcludedbytheFederalRulesbecausepublicpolicyfavorsthebehaviorinvolved.Subsequentrepairs,forexample,arenotadmissibletoshownegligencebecausesocietywishestoencouragetheimmediaterepairofdangerousconditions.Evidenceexcludedforpublicpolicyreasonsincludesthefollowing:
1.LiabilityInsurance
Evidenceofinsuranceagainstliabilityisnotadmissibletoshownegligenceorabilitytopayasubstantialjudgment.However,itmaybeadmissible:
(i)toproveownershiporcontrol,(ii)toimpeach,or(iii)aspartofanadmission.
AdmissibilityofRelevantEvidence
Doestheevidencetendtoproveordisproveafactofconsequencetotheaction?
No
→
Inadmissible
Yes↓
Istheprobativevalueoftheevidencesubstantiallyoutweighedbythedangerofunfairprejudice,confusionofissues,misleadingthejury,unduedelay,orwasteoftime?
Yes
→
Inadmissible
No↓
Istheevidenceofatypethatmaybeexcludedforpublicpolicyreasons:
1.LiabilityInsurance
2.SubsequentRemedialMeasures
3.SettlementOffersorNegotiations
4.WithdrawnGuiltyPleasorOfferstoPleadGuilty
5.OfferstoPayandPaymentofMedicalExpenses
Yes
→
Probably
Inadmissible(seePolicyExclusion
Chart,infra).
No↓
Admissible,provideditisnotexcludedunderotherRules(e.g.,hearsay,bestevidence)
2.SubsequentRemedialMeasures
Evidenceofrepairsorotherprecautionarymeasuresmadefollowinganinjuryisnotadmissibletoprovenegligence,culpableconduct,adefectinaproductoritsdesign,oraneedforawarningorinstruction.However,itmaybeadmissibleto:
(i)proveownershiporcontrol,(ii)rebutaclaimthattheprecautionwasnotfeasible,or(iii)provethattheopposingpartyhasdestroyedevidence.
3.SettlementOffersandWithdrawnGuiltyPleas
Evidenceofcompromisesorofferstocompromiseisnotadmissibletoproveliabilityfor,orinvalidityof,aclaimthatisdisputedastovalidityoramount.Notevendirectadmissionsofliabilityduringcompromisenegotiationsareadmissible.Likewise,withdrawnguiltypleasandofferstopleadguiltyareinadmissible.
ExamTip:
Fortheexclusionary
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