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Feb 20, 2023 · Generally, a witness cannot object to a question on the grounds that it fails to conform to a rule of evidence (e.g. hearsay). A witness can refuse to testify on a matter either due to the 5th Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, or on the grounds that some other privilege (e.g. attorney-client, clergy confession, spousal) applies.
After a question has been asked and answered, you can object to any further attempts to ask the question. 13.7 Vague . A vague question is when it is difficult to tell what the question is about. You may object to a vague question because the witness may misunderstand the question and say something that will hurt your case.
A question or response can be objectionable if a person failed to explain the background circumstances of how s/he knows the information s/he is testifying about, or is being asked about. When answering about specific facts, the witness has to set the stage and explain how s/he knows the information that s/he knows.
You can make objections about questions asked to a witness, answers given by a witness, or documents or items being introduced as evidence to the court. There must be a legal reason for your objection. You cannot object to anything you wish would not be admitted as evidence or anything you don’t like that is being asked or said.
- Relevance. A relevance objection is based on the argument that the evidence is not relevant to the case. Evidence is only considered relevant if it has some value in proving a significant matter.
- Leading question. This objection is raised when an attorney asks a question that suggests the desired answer or puts words in the witness’s mouth. Leading questions are prohibited during direct examination, although exceptions are made for background information.
- Compound question. Compound objections are raised when a question contains multiple inquiries, making it difficult to provide a clear and accurate response.
- Argumentative. A question can be objected to as being argumentative when it does not seek new information, but instead seeks to have the witness agree with an inference or conclusion.
The panel may question the witness. What if I object to a question asked or statement made by the other party? If you are concerned about the fairness, correctness or relevance of a question asked or statement made by the other party, you can raise this concern as an objection with the panel. The panel chair will rule on the objection.
People also ask
Can you object to a question asked by a witness?
Can a witness object if a question is ambiguous?
What if a witness asks a question that does not seek information?
Can a witness object based on their opinion?
What if a witness asks a question that is not clear?
Can a trial attorney object to a witness?
You would want to object to a vague question that is asked of your witness because of the risk that the witness will misunderstand the question and say something that will hurt your case. If the question is objected to, the person asking the question might then be able to ask the question in a different way that makes more sense or is more specific.
