CROSS EXAMINATION Meaning and
Definition
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Cross-examination is a legal term referring to the questioning of a witness by the opposing party during a trial or hearing. It is a crucial part of the legal process in which an attorney aims to challenge and test the truthfulness, credibility, and reliability of the witness's testimony.
During cross-examination, the opposing attorney has the opportunity to probe into the witness's earlier statements made during direct examination, which is the initial questioning done by the attorney who called the witness. The purpose of cross-examination is to expose any inconsistencies, contradictions, biases, or motives that may undermine the credibility or accuracy of the witness's testimony.
The cross-examiner must carefully and skillfully ask questions that will elicit helpful information for their case and potentially weaken the opposing party's arguments. Through pointed and calculated questioning, the cross-examiner seeks to discredit the witness, cast doubt on their current testimony, or bring out facts that support their own side's case.
Cross-examination follows specific rules, including giving limited scope for questioning and requiring questions to be relevant to the case at hand. While leading questions, which suggest the answer, are generally allowed, they can be objected to and disallowed by the judge if they are unfairly suggestive or speculative.
Overall, cross-examination is a vital process that allows the presentation of alternative perspectives, challenges witnesses, and uncovers additional information to aid the search for truth and justice in a court or legal proceeding.
Common Misspellings for CROSS EXAMINATION
- crows-examination
- crose-examination
- coss-examination
- crossexamination
- cross-eamination
- cross-examination
- cross-examinetion
- crossexaminnation
- crossxamination
Etymology of CROSS EXAMINATION
The term "cross examination" comes from the combination of two words:
1. "Cross", meaning oblique or sideways. It originated from the Old English word "cros", derived from the Old Norse "kross" and ultimately from the Latin "crux".
2. "Examination", which comes from the Latin word "examinatio", derived from the verb "examinare", meaning to weigh, test, or explore.
When used together, "cross examination" refers to the questioning of a witness in a legal context, where a lawyer questions a witness called by the opposing party in order to challenge or test their credibility, knowledge, or the facts of their testimony. The term has been used in this legal sense for many centuries, though the exact origin of the phrase is unclear.
Similar spelling words for CROSS EXAMINATION
- cross-examination,
- cross-examiner.
