纽约州律师考试证据法侵权法和宪法笔记EvidenceWord格式文档下载.docx
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MiniReview:
1.Characterevidence
✧Criminalcase:
(1)Prosecutorcan’tintroducebadcharacterforthepurposeofprovingactioninconformitywithcharacter;
(2)Disallowedtointroducegoodcharactertoproveheactedinconformitywithgoodcharacter;
(3)IfDprovidedgoodcharacterevidence,Prosecutorisallowedtoshowbadcharacterevidence(reputationandopinion)andcross-examinationofcharacterwitnessbymeansofintrinsicevidenceof“specificact”
(4)Evidenceofothercrimesareinadmissibleforconformitypurpose,butlikelyadmissibleforMIMICpurpose;
(5)IfDtakesthestand,PmayimpeachDwithcharacterevidenceofuntruthfulness.
✧Civilcase:
(1)Youcan’tintroducecharacterevidencetoshowconformity;
(2)Characterevidencemaybeintroducedforotherpurposes,suchasnegligenthiring/entrustment,defamation,fraud,andMIMIC…;
(3)Watchforthedifferencebetweencharacterevidenceandhabitevidence.
2.Impeachment
✧Priorinconsistentstatement
∆Extrinsicevidenceallowed
∆Impeachedwitnessmustbegivenopportunitytocomment,beforeoraftertheofferofsuchextrinsicevidence
✧Bias
∆Witnessmustbecross-examinedforthefactsshowingbias/interestpriortointroductionofextrinsicevidence
✧Priorcrimeconviction(10yearslimitationforFRE)
∆Involvingdishonesty/falsestatement
∆Otherfelonybalancetest
∆Extrinsicevidencebymeansofconvictionrecord
✧Priorbadact–onlyintrinsicevidenceallowed,noaskingaboutarrest
✧Untruthfulness
∆Reputation/opinion
∆Specificevidenceonlybycross-examination,ifdenied,noextrinsicevidence
3.Hearsay(note,partyadmissionisnonhearsayunderFRE)
a)Method:
hearsay?
priorinconsistentstatement,priorconsistentstatement,effectuponpeople,verbalactexception
b)Prioridentification(nonhearsayunderFRE)
c)Presentsenseimpression
d)Excitedutterance
e)Medicaltreatmentstatement
f)Bizrecords
g)Formertestimony
h)Dyingdeclaration
i)Partyadmission:
vicariousadmission(employee,partner,co-conspirator),adoptiveadmission
I.Relevance
A.LogicalRelevance(Probativeness)
1.Standardofadmissibility–doestheevidencehaveanytendencytomakeamaterialfactmoreorlessprobablethanitwouldbewithouttheevidence(relatetotime/person/event)
2.Exceptionswhereadmissible–similaroccurrences
a.Prioraccidentsorclaims
(i)P’sprioraccidenthistory–inadmissible;
EXCEPT
(a)Provecommonplan&
schemeoffraud;
or
(b)WhencauseofP’sdamagesisinissue
(ii)D’spriorconditions–ONLYinvolvingthesameinstrumentalityorcondition,andoccurringundersubstantiallysimilarcircumstances,toprove:
(a)Existenceofadangerouscondition
(b)Dhadpriornotice
(c)Causation
b.Intentisissue–drawinferenceofintentfrompriorconducte.g.genderdiscrimination
c.Similarsalestoestablishvalue
d.HabitEvidence–toinferapersonactedontheoccasionatissue
(i)Dispositionevidence–NOTadmissible
(ii)PriorActevidence(propensity)–NOTadmissible
(iii)Habit–Admissible(keywords–always,invariably,automatically,instinctively)
(a)particularity;
AND(b)frequency(judge’sdiscretionhowoftenisenough)
*NYDistinctions–HabitEvidence(moresuspicious)
1.Personalhabitonissueofduecareinnegligent–INADMISSIBLE
2.Personalhabitinuseofproduct–Admissible(inproductsliabilitycase)
e.IndustrialorBusinessRoutine(businesshabit)–admissible
f.IndustrialCustomasStandardofcare(whatdoothersimilarcompanieddo)
B.JudicialDiscretionaryExclusion
1.Probativevalueissubstantiallyoutweighedbydangerof–
(1)dangerofunfairprejudice;
(2)confusionofissues;
(3)misleadingthejury;
(4)unduedelay;
(5)wasteoftime;
(6)undulycumulative
2.NOT–unfairsurprise
C.PublicPolicyBasedExclusion
1.LiabilityInsurance
a.Notadmissibletoshownegligenceorabilitytopay
b.EXCEPTIONS
(i)proveownershiporcontrol(whendisputed,getlimitinginstructions);
OR
(ii)impeachment–biasduetointerest
2.SubsequentRemedialMeasure
a.Notadmissibletoshownegligence/culpableconduct/productordesigndefect/needforwarning
b.EXCEPTIONS
(i)proveownershipofcontrol(whendisputed);
(ii)rebutorimpeachaclaimthatprecautionswerenotfeasible(whenfeasibilityisdisputed)
c.Subsequentremedialmeasuresby3rdparties–admissible
*NYDistinctions–SubsequentRemedialMeasures(StrictLiabilitycase)
1.ManufacturingDefects–Admissibletoestablishdefectivenessofproductwhenmade
2.BUT,designdefectORharacterEvidencefertopaymedicalexpensesareAdmissibleon.isdisputedastovalidityoramount___________________________failuretowarn–NOTadmissible(exceptforfeasibilitydispute)
3.Settlements
a.CivilCases
(i)Notadmissible–evidenceofasettlementofoffertosettle,toproveliabilityorweakenotherparty
(ii)Notadmissible–statementsoffactmadeincourseofsettlement
(iii)Requirements(atthetimeofsettlementdiscussion)
(a)Theremustbeaclaim–ifsomeoneadmitsbeforeclaim,it’sadmissible;
AND
(b)Theremustbeadisputeastoliabilityoramount–ifDadmitstofullliability,it’sadmissible
(iv)EXCEPT–forimpeachment
b.CriminalCases
(i)Offertopleadguilty–Notadmissible(allcriminal&
subsequentcivilcasesbasedonsamefacts)
(ii)Withdrawnguiltyplea–Notadmissible(allcriminal&
(iii)Pleaofnolocontendere(Nocontest)
(iv)Statementsmadeduringthecourseofnegotiation
NYDistinctions–Withdrawnguiltypleas
Admissibleinsubsequentcivillitigationbasedonsamefactsaspartyadmission.
4.OffertopayMedicalExpenses
a.Notadmissible–toproveculpableconduct
b.BUT,admissionsoffactaccompanyinganoffertopaymedicalexpensesareAdmissible
5.PriorSexualConductofVictim
a.Inanycivilorcriminalproceedinginvolvingsexualmisconduct,thefollowingisNOTadmissible
(i)Opinionorreputationaboutthevictim’ssexualpropensity,or
(ii)Evidenceofspecificsexualbehaviorofthevictim
b.Exceptions
(i)SpecificsexualbehaviortoprovesomeoneotherthatDwasthesourceofsemenorinjury;
(ii)Victim’ssexualactivitywithDifthedefenseofconsentisasserted;
(iii)WhereexclusionwouldviolateD’srightofdueprocess(placedincontroversybyvictim)
*NYDistinctions–PriorSexualConduct
Convictionofprostitutionwithinlast3yearsallowed
D.CharacterEvidence
1.Purposeofcharacterevidence
a.Directevidence–person’scharacterisamaterialelementinthecivilcase(charactercanneverbeanelementincriminalcase)
b.Circumstantialevidence–inferconductinconformitywithcharacterattimeoflitigatedevent
c.Impeachwitnesscredibility
2.Methodofprovingcharacter
a.Specificacts
b.Opiniontestimony
c.Reputationtestimony
3.CivilCases
a.Circumstantialevidence–NOTadmissibletoproveconductinconformity(evencivilcaseinvolvingcriminalconduct)
b.Directevidence–admissiblewhereessentialelementofaclaimordefense(e.g.defamation,negligenthiringorentrustment,deceit,assault/battery(forselfdefensepurpose));
methods–Specificacts,Opinion,orReputation
4.CriminalCases
a.Dprovescharacter
(i)EvidencetoproveconductinconformityisNOTadmissibleduringprosecution’scase-in-chief(D’scharactertraitisneveranelement)
(ii)BUT,Dmayintroduceevidenceofarelevantcharactertrait,whichopensthedoorforrebuttal
-Methods–Opinion&
Reputation
*NYDistinctions–Characterwitnessincriminalcases
OnlyREPUTATIONascircumstantialevidenceisallowed–bothforD&
prosecution
b.Prosecution’sRebuttal–whenDopensdoor(onlythroughcharacterwitness),prosecutionmay:
(i)Cross-examiningcharacterwitness(specificacts)–inquiringD’srelevantspecificacts(butcannotprovethemintrial)thatreflectadverselyonparticularcharactertraitintroducedbyD–toimpeachcharacterwitness;
and/or
(ii)Callingitsowncharacterwitness(opinionorreputation)–tocontradictD’switness
*NYDistinctions–Prosecutionrebuttalagainstcharacterwitness
1.Cross-examining–canonlybegintoask“Haveyouheard”
2.Callingownwitness–introduce
(1)reputationevidence;
and
(2)introductionofpriorconvictionswhichreflectadverselyonthecharactertraitinissue.
c.Victim’sCharacter–SELF-DefenseCase
(i)Dmayintroducevictim’sBADcharacter(opinionorreputation)–opensdoorforprosecution
*NYDistinctions–Victiminself-defensecriminalcase
CharacterevidenceofvictimisNOTadmissibletoprovethatvictimwasthefirstaggressor.
(ii)Prosecutionmayrebutbyshowing:
(a)Victim’sGoodcharacter;
(b)D’sBadcharacterforthesametrait(opin