In: Accounting
Discuss the rules of evidence.
Definition of Evidence
In legal terms, evidence covers the burden of proof, admissibility, relevance, weight and sufficiency of what should be admitted into the record of a legal proceeding. Evidence -- crucial in both civil and criminal proceedings -- may include blood or hair samples, video surveillance recordings, or witness testimony. The Federal Rules of Evidence govern the admissibility of evidence in federal trials, but state rules of evidence are largely modeled after the federal rules.
If evidence is procured illegally, such as during an unlawful police search, then that evidence (and any other evidence it leads to) may not be used at trial. Evidence that is deemed irrelevant or prejudicial to a case also may be deemed inadmissible. Additionally, evidence may be thrown out if the integrity of its handling ("chain of custody") is in doubt.
There are four general types of evidence:
Real evidence (tangible things, such as a weapon)
Demonstrative (a model of what likely happened at a given time and place)
Documentary (a letter, blog post, or other document)
Testimonial (witness testimony)
Terms to Know