Hearsay

{
  "id": "MLC-T-LAW-000113",
  "term": "Hearsay",
  "field": "Law",
  "definitions": [
    "An out-of-court statement offered in court to prove the truth of the matter asserted. This type of evidence is generally inadmissible because the person who made the statement is not available for cross-examination. Exceptions to the general rule against hearsay exist for specific circumstances, such as excited utterances or dying declarations, as outlined in rules of evidence like the Federal Rules of Evidence.",
    "Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it second-hand from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as direct evidence in court because it does not allow a defendant to confront his or her accusers and is not as reliable as first-hand testimony, but there are many exceptions to the hearsay rule."
  ],
  "references": [
    "U.S. Courts Glossary of Legal Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/law/hearsay/"
}