The Basic Rules of Evidence

An experienced Dallas attorney who served six years with the city’s District Attorney’s Office, Phillip Wayne Hayes has operated his own solo practice since 2005. Among his other areas of criminal defense expertise, he excels at delivering rules of evidence advice.

Widely respected by his peers, Phillip Wayne Hayes is dedicated to lifelong learning as well as teaching others in the field of criminal defense. He often represents worthy clients at reduced rates or on a pro bono basis. His clients benefit from his firm grasp of the judicial rules of evidence, and he often offers targeted legal advice on this subject.

The General Rules of Evidence Understood

In order to fully understand rules of evidence, it is important to note that these rules do not necessarily apply universally. Although federal rules of evidence are relatively well-codified, many rules of evidence differ from state to state if not from district to district.

Furthermore, different rules of evidence apply to each of the four traditionally recognized categories of evidence: real, documentary, demonstrative, and testimonial. While some rules of evidence apply universally to all four evidence categories, others may apply to only one of them.

No matter what form it takes, evidence is essential to establishing the burden of proof in any legal proceeding. To enter evidence into official court records and influence the ultimate outcome of a case, legal professionals must meet all rules of evidence with absolute rigor.

In general, rules of evidence stress the values of admissibility, authenticity, relevance, completeness, reliability, and believability. The foundational rule of evidence, admissibility determines whether a judge will allow a piece of evidence into the legal proceeding at hand. This means that all evidence must be gathered and preserved according to standard procedure and legal regulations.

In addition to accounting for the origins of all evidence, it is vitally important to establish that evidence is directly tied to the case in a highly relevant way. Evidence should also provide a clear and complete picture of the incident to which it relates rather than simply presenting a single perspective that is potentially skewed and ultimately untrustworthy. Legal professionals must remember that a piece of evidence is only effective if it is easy to understand and, therefore, to believe.