EVIDENCE OUTLINE
FALL 2023
Page 1 of 30
, Relevance ....................................................................................................................................................4
B. Conditional Relevance ............................................................................................................................4
C. Exclusion of Relevant Evidence ..............................................................................................................4
D. Specialized Relevance Rules ..................................................................................................................5
a. Subsequent Remedial Measures ........................................................................................................................5
b. Habit ...................................................................................................................................................................6
c. Liability Insurance ...............................................................................................................................................6
d. Past Sexual Behavior .........................................................................................................................................6
e. Similar Crimes in Sexual Assault Cases .............................................................................................................6
f. Similar Crimes in Child Molestation Cases ........................................................................................................6
g. Similar Acts in Civil Sexual Assault or Child Molestation Cases ........................................................................6
h. Settlement O ers and Negotiations ...................................................................................................................7
i. O ers to Pay Medical + Similar Expenses .........................................................................................................7
j. Pleas/Plea Discussions ......................................................................................................................................7
Character Evidence ....................................................................................................................................7
B. Criminal Case Exceptions: ........................................................................................................................................7
C. Other Crimes, Acts, or Wrongs .................................................................................................................................7
d. Sexual Assault Cases .........................................................................................................................................8
e. Proof of Defendant’s and Victim’s Character .....................................................................................................9
f. Evidence of Habit ...............................................................................................................................................9
Impeachment ............................................................................................................................................10
A. Modes ...................................................................................................................................................10
a. Non-Character Impeachment ..........................................................................................................................10
b. Character-Based Impeachment .......................................................................................................................10
B. Opinion, Reputation and Cross-Examination about Past Lies ..............................................................11
D. Past Convictions ...................................................................................................................................12
Rape Shield Law .......................................................................................................................................13
D. In Force .................................................................................................................................................13
a. Other Sexual Behavior or Sexual Predisposition .............................................................................................13
b. Past Behavior of the Accused ..........................................................................................................................13
c. Past Allegedly False Accusations ....................................................................................................................13
d. 404(b) — Uses of Evidence of Past Sexual Behavior.......................................................................................13
Hearsay ......................................................................................................................................................14
A. Intro .......................................................................................................................................................14
b. Non-Hearsay Uses of OUT-OF-Court Statements ...........................................................................................14
c. Assertions .........................................................................................................................................................14
d. Nature of Assertions .........................................................................................................................................14
B. 1st EXCEPTION: Opposing Parties’ Statements — 801(d)(2) ...............................................................15
a. Party’s Own Words ...........................................................................................................................................15
b. Adoptive Admissions........................................................................................................................................15
c. Statements of Agents .......................................................................................................................................15
d. Co-Conspirator’s Statements...........................................................................................................................15
C. 2nd EXCEPTION: PAST STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONY OF A DECLARANT-WITNESS — 801(d)(1)16
a. Inconsistent Statements O ered to Impeach ..................................................................................................16
b. Inconsistent Statements O ered Substantively ...............................................................................................17
c. Past Consistent Statements .............................................................................................................................17
d. Statements of Identi cation .............................................................................................................................17
D. 3rd EXCEPTION: WHERE THE DECLARANT MUST BE UNAVAILABLE .............................................18
a. Criteria for a Declarant to be Unavailable ........................................................................................................18
b. Prior Testimony .................................................................................................................................................18
c. Statements Against Interest .............................................................................................................................18
d. Dying Declarations ...........................................................................................................................................18
e. Forfeiture by Wrongdoing .................................................................................................................................18
E. 4th EXCEPTION: DECLARANT’S AVAILABILITY IS IMMATERIAL — 803 ............................................19
a. Present Sense Impressions and Excited Utterances .......................................................................................19
b. Statements of Then-Existing Condition ...........................................................................................................19
c. Statements for Medical Diagnosis or Treatment ..............................................................................................19
d. Refreshing Memory and Recorded Recollections ............................................................................................19
e. Business Records ............................................................................................................................................20
f. Public Records and Reports ............................................................................................................................20
g. Police Reports and Business Records .............................................................................................................21
Confrontation Clause ...............................................................................................................................21
A. The Confrontation Clause and Hearsay ................................................................................................21
e. Post-Crawford Confrontation Case Law ..........................................................................................................22
B. The Bruton Doctrine..............................................................................................................................25
C. Compulsory Process .............................................................................................................................26
Page 2 of 30
ff ff fi ff
, Lay Opinions and Expert Testimony........................................................................................................26
A. Lay Opinions .........................................................................................................................................26
B. Expert Testimony...................................................................................................................................26
a. Who Quali es as an Expert? ............................................................................................................................26
b. (Im)proper Topics of Expert Testimony .............................................................................................................27
c. Proper Bases of Expert Opinion Testimony .....................................................................................................27
d. Assessing the Reliability of Expert Scienti c Testimony ..................................................................................27
e. Assessing the Reliability of Non-Scienti c Expertise .......................................................................................28
Authentication, Identi cation, and the “Best Evidence” Rule ..............................................................28
A. Authentication and Identi cation ..........................................................................................................28
c. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................29
d. Text Messages and Phone Calls ......................................................................................................................29
e. Photographs, Videotapes, and Internet Images ...............................................................................................29
B. The “Best Evidence Rule" .....................................................................................................................29
Privileges: General Principles ..................................................................................................................30
A. 501’s Origins and Application ...............................................................................................................30
Lawyer-Client Privilege and Privilege Against Self-Incrimination ........................................................30
A. Scope of Lawyer-Client Privilege ..........................................................................................................30
B. Common Elements of the Professional Privileges ................................................................................30
a. Attorney-Client ...............................................................................................................................30
i. Privilege is the client’s; they get to decide whether to waive or assert it. ................................30
ii. Only covers communications made to facilitate professional services ....................................30
iii. Only covers con dential communications ...............................................................................30
iv. Protects against disclosure of the communication, but not disclosure of the underlying facts.30
C. The Lawyer-Client Privilege and Privilege Against Self-Incrimination ...................................................30
a. General Principles ............................................................................................................................................30
Familial Privileges .....................................................................................................................................30
A. The Marital Privileges ............................................................................................................................30
a. If a spouse talks to the other con dentially, bring up this privilege on the exam. ..........................30
b. Spousal Testimonial Privilege ..........................................................................................................................30
c. Martial Con dence Privilege ...........................................................................................................................30
Page 3 of 30
fifi fi fi fi fi fi fi
FALL 2023
Page 1 of 30
, Relevance ....................................................................................................................................................4
B. Conditional Relevance ............................................................................................................................4
C. Exclusion of Relevant Evidence ..............................................................................................................4
D. Specialized Relevance Rules ..................................................................................................................5
a. Subsequent Remedial Measures ........................................................................................................................5
b. Habit ...................................................................................................................................................................6
c. Liability Insurance ...............................................................................................................................................6
d. Past Sexual Behavior .........................................................................................................................................6
e. Similar Crimes in Sexual Assault Cases .............................................................................................................6
f. Similar Crimes in Child Molestation Cases ........................................................................................................6
g. Similar Acts in Civil Sexual Assault or Child Molestation Cases ........................................................................6
h. Settlement O ers and Negotiations ...................................................................................................................7
i. O ers to Pay Medical + Similar Expenses .........................................................................................................7
j. Pleas/Plea Discussions ......................................................................................................................................7
Character Evidence ....................................................................................................................................7
B. Criminal Case Exceptions: ........................................................................................................................................7
C. Other Crimes, Acts, or Wrongs .................................................................................................................................7
d. Sexual Assault Cases .........................................................................................................................................8
e. Proof of Defendant’s and Victim’s Character .....................................................................................................9
f. Evidence of Habit ...............................................................................................................................................9
Impeachment ............................................................................................................................................10
A. Modes ...................................................................................................................................................10
a. Non-Character Impeachment ..........................................................................................................................10
b. Character-Based Impeachment .......................................................................................................................10
B. Opinion, Reputation and Cross-Examination about Past Lies ..............................................................11
D. Past Convictions ...................................................................................................................................12
Rape Shield Law .......................................................................................................................................13
D. In Force .................................................................................................................................................13
a. Other Sexual Behavior or Sexual Predisposition .............................................................................................13
b. Past Behavior of the Accused ..........................................................................................................................13
c. Past Allegedly False Accusations ....................................................................................................................13
d. 404(b) — Uses of Evidence of Past Sexual Behavior.......................................................................................13
Hearsay ......................................................................................................................................................14
A. Intro .......................................................................................................................................................14
b. Non-Hearsay Uses of OUT-OF-Court Statements ...........................................................................................14
c. Assertions .........................................................................................................................................................14
d. Nature of Assertions .........................................................................................................................................14
B. 1st EXCEPTION: Opposing Parties’ Statements — 801(d)(2) ...............................................................15
a. Party’s Own Words ...........................................................................................................................................15
b. Adoptive Admissions........................................................................................................................................15
c. Statements of Agents .......................................................................................................................................15
d. Co-Conspirator’s Statements...........................................................................................................................15
C. 2nd EXCEPTION: PAST STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONY OF A DECLARANT-WITNESS — 801(d)(1)16
a. Inconsistent Statements O ered to Impeach ..................................................................................................16
b. Inconsistent Statements O ered Substantively ...............................................................................................17
c. Past Consistent Statements .............................................................................................................................17
d. Statements of Identi cation .............................................................................................................................17
D. 3rd EXCEPTION: WHERE THE DECLARANT MUST BE UNAVAILABLE .............................................18
a. Criteria for a Declarant to be Unavailable ........................................................................................................18
b. Prior Testimony .................................................................................................................................................18
c. Statements Against Interest .............................................................................................................................18
d. Dying Declarations ...........................................................................................................................................18
e. Forfeiture by Wrongdoing .................................................................................................................................18
E. 4th EXCEPTION: DECLARANT’S AVAILABILITY IS IMMATERIAL — 803 ............................................19
a. Present Sense Impressions and Excited Utterances .......................................................................................19
b. Statements of Then-Existing Condition ...........................................................................................................19
c. Statements for Medical Diagnosis or Treatment ..............................................................................................19
d. Refreshing Memory and Recorded Recollections ............................................................................................19
e. Business Records ............................................................................................................................................20
f. Public Records and Reports ............................................................................................................................20
g. Police Reports and Business Records .............................................................................................................21
Confrontation Clause ...............................................................................................................................21
A. The Confrontation Clause and Hearsay ................................................................................................21
e. Post-Crawford Confrontation Case Law ..........................................................................................................22
B. The Bruton Doctrine..............................................................................................................................25
C. Compulsory Process .............................................................................................................................26
Page 2 of 30
ff ff fi ff
, Lay Opinions and Expert Testimony........................................................................................................26
A. Lay Opinions .........................................................................................................................................26
B. Expert Testimony...................................................................................................................................26
a. Who Quali es as an Expert? ............................................................................................................................26
b. (Im)proper Topics of Expert Testimony .............................................................................................................27
c. Proper Bases of Expert Opinion Testimony .....................................................................................................27
d. Assessing the Reliability of Expert Scienti c Testimony ..................................................................................27
e. Assessing the Reliability of Non-Scienti c Expertise .......................................................................................28
Authentication, Identi cation, and the “Best Evidence” Rule ..............................................................28
A. Authentication and Identi cation ..........................................................................................................28
c. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................29
d. Text Messages and Phone Calls ......................................................................................................................29
e. Photographs, Videotapes, and Internet Images ...............................................................................................29
B. The “Best Evidence Rule" .....................................................................................................................29
Privileges: General Principles ..................................................................................................................30
A. 501’s Origins and Application ...............................................................................................................30
Lawyer-Client Privilege and Privilege Against Self-Incrimination ........................................................30
A. Scope of Lawyer-Client Privilege ..........................................................................................................30
B. Common Elements of the Professional Privileges ................................................................................30
a. Attorney-Client ...............................................................................................................................30
i. Privilege is the client’s; they get to decide whether to waive or assert it. ................................30
ii. Only covers communications made to facilitate professional services ....................................30
iii. Only covers con dential communications ...............................................................................30
iv. Protects against disclosure of the communication, but not disclosure of the underlying facts.30
C. The Lawyer-Client Privilege and Privilege Against Self-Incrimination ...................................................30
a. General Principles ............................................................................................................................................30
Familial Privileges .....................................................................................................................................30
A. The Marital Privileges ............................................................................................................................30
a. If a spouse talks to the other con dentially, bring up this privilege on the exam. ..........................30
b. Spousal Testimonial Privilege ..........................................................................................................................30
c. Martial Con dence Privilege ...........................................................................................................................30
Page 3 of 30
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