Cross-Examination
Definition
The questioning of a witness or party during a trial, hearing, or deposition by the party opposing the one who asked the person to testify.
Deep Dive
Cross-examination is a critical stage in a trial, hearing, or deposition where a witness or party who has just testified under direct examination is then questioned by the opposing attorney. The primary purpose of cross-examination is not to elicit new information, but rather to challenge the witness's credibility, expose inconsistencies in their testimony, clarify previous statements, or extract information favorable to the cross-examining party's case. It is a fundamental component of the adversarial legal system, designed to test the reliability and truthfulness of testimony presented by the opposing side.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1A prosecutor questioning a defense witness to highlight inconsistencies in their alibi story
- 2A defense attorney questioning a prosecution's expert witness about potential flaws in their methodology or biases
- 3An attorney questioning an opposing party during a deposition to lock down their version of events and identify potential weaknesses