POL 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Redirect Examination, Direct Examination, Reversible Error

• School: University of Hartford
• Department: Politics and Government
• Course: POL 250
• Professor: Leslie Smith

Document Summary

Direct examination: direct examination is the questioning of a witness by the party who called him or her, in a trial. Direct examination is usually performed to elicit evidence in support of facts which will satisfy a required element of a party"s claim or defense. Cross-examination: the formal interrogation of a witness called by the other party in a court of law to challenge or extend testimony already given. Redirect examination: redirect examination is the trial process by which the party who offered the witness has a chance to explain or otherwise qualify any damaging or accusing testimony brought out by the opponent during cross-examination. Redirect examination may question only those areas brought out on cross-examination and may not stray beyond that boundary. After prosecution rests, the defendant will often make a motion for a directed verdict: judgment is a matter of law and the prosecution has not presented enough evidence to prove case.