hearsay rule
1
9.3
- noun
- /ˈhɪrˌseɪ ruːl/
- Specialized
:
regla de oídas
- During the trial, the judge reminded everyone about the hearsay rule, clarifying that only certain exceptions permit statements made outside of court to be considered.
- exceptions to the hearsay rule
Examples
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Understanding the hearsay rule is crucial for lawyers, as it determines what kind of evidence can be presented during a trial.
-
It's an exception to the hearsay rule.
-
Any college student can read and understand the codes drawn up by Napoleon or Frederick the Great, but it takes considerable study and experience to understand the hearsay rule.
Academic text (1993) -
Some have also suggested exceptions to the hearsay rule for initial reports of domestic violence to police, purporting to solve the problem of recantation, common in domestic violence cases.
Academic text (2016) -
In court, the lawyer explained the significance of the hearsay rule to the jury, emphasizing that statements made outside the courtroom are not usually allowed as evidence.
Antonyms
- Specialized
18
3.2
Proof that clearly shows a fact is true, such as an eyewitness report
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'hearsay' (information passed on without independent verification) combined with 'rule' (a regulation) yields a rule governing hearsay. This noun+ noun formation is a straightforward descriptive compound commonly used in legal contexts and would be understandable to a B1 learner who already knows both constituents.
Etymology
Hearsay rule comes from the simple idea of words you only hear someone say, meaning information passed on by another person instead of heard directly from the original speaker. So, the rule says courts normally will not accept these second-hand words as evidence because they were 'outside of court' and not said by the person who actually saw or heard the event.