During a court proceeding, a formal protest can be raised by a lawyer against the admissibility of evidence, or the propriety of a question asked of a witness. This protest is known as an objection. The purpose of an objection is to alert the court and opposing counsel when a lawyer believes that the opposing party has violated the rules of evidence or legal procedure.
Here are some common types of objections that can be raised during a trial:
- Relevance: The evidence or question being presented is not related to the issues in the case.
- Hearsay: The statement being offered is being used to prove the truth of the matter asserted, and the person who made the statement is not testifying in court.
- Leading Question: The question being asked suggests the answer or puts words in the mouth of the witness.
- Speculation: The witness is being asked to guess or speculate about something.
- Lack of Foundation: The proponent has not established the necessary foundation for the evidence.
- Compound Question: The question contains multiple parts, and it is unclear which part the witness is answering.
- Character Evidence: Introducing evidence about a person’s character for the purpose of proving that they acted in accordance with that character on a particular occasion (except in certain situations).
When an objection is made, the judge will decide whether to sustain or overrule it. If sustained, the evidence or question is excluded. If overruled, the evidence or question is allowed.
