what question does the judge ask when the lawyer objects

by Prof. Eulah Romaguera Sr. 5 min read

The judge may ask the person “on what rule of evidence are you relying on?” or “on what grounds are you making your objection.” Lawyers may respond to the judge or to an objection and attempt to justify their question/evidence. A lawyer must always stand when addressing the judge.

The Crown Prosecutor or the Defence Counsel may object to a question or the admission of an exhibit or evidence. The judge may ask the person “on what rule of evidence are you relying on?” or “on what grounds are you making your objection.”

Full Answer

What questions can a judge ask a lawyer in court?

The judge may ask the person “on what rule of evidence are you relying on?” or “on what grounds are you making your objection.” Lawyers may respond to the judge or to an objection and attempt to justify their question/evidence. A lawyer must always stand when addressing the judge.

How does a judge rule on objections to evidence?

How does a judge rule on objections? A judge can rule one of two ways: she can either "overrule" the objection or "sustain" it. When an objection is overruled it means that the evidence is properly admitted to the court, and the trial can proceed.

Why do attorneys ask jurors questions?

Experienced attorneys ask questions to get a sense of how a juror will respond to the evidence and arguments in the case about to be tried.

Can a lawyer ask a witness a question beyond the scope?

On cross-examination, a lawyer can only ask questions that relate in some way to the testimony on direct examination. If the questioning doesn’t, then it exceeds the scope of permissible cross-examination. Object by saying, “Objection. Beyond the scope.” For example, a witness might testify on direct that she saw someone crash into her mailbox.

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What does the judge say when someone objects?

Even though the question has already been asked, he must now move on and ask another question. When the judge says “Objection sustained” it means that the witness is not to answer the question. It means the judge agrees with the attorney who has objected.

What does a judge say when he agrees with an objection?

The judge then makes a ruling on whether the objection is "sustained" (the judge agrees with the objection and disallows the question, testimony, or evidence) or "overruled" (the judge disagrees with the objection and allows the question, testimony, or evidence).

What is objection asked and answered?

May 12, 2014, 6:27 AM PDT. In U.S. courtrooms, there's an objection called "asked and answered." Roughly speaking, if an attorney has a witness on the stand for an examination, asks a question, and gets an answer, counsel can't keep asking the same question. Opposing counsel will object.

When a lawyer says I object What does that mean?

Thus, most legal dictionaries define “objection” like this: “an objection is a formal complaint expressed in court during a trial to reject a witness' testimony, or other evidence, which would be in violation of the rules of evidence or other procedural law.” In other words, if an attorney believes that some piece of ...

How do you object in court?

Normally, an objection is made by simply saying, “I object,” or, “Objection.” If the reason for the objection is obvious, then the judge may make a ruling without making you explain why you are objecting.

How do you respond to an objection in court?

State your responses succinctly, being as specific as possible about the legal grounds for admissibility. Give a one-sentence non-legal explanation for the benefit of the jury. Accept the judge's ruling gracefully. Make an offer of proof if you lose the objection.

What are the most common objections in court?

Some common objections include:Irrelevant. ... The witness is incompetent.Violation of the best evidence rule.Violation of the hearsay rule.Speculative. ... Leading. ... Violation of the parol evidence rule.Repetitive.

Do lawyers actually say objection?

Typically, when an attorney makes an objection, he is required to say only a few words to let the judge know what is the legal basis for the objection. For example, an attorney might yell out “Objection, hearsay.” Or he might say “Objection, he's leading the witness.”

What are the 3 types of objection?

The Three Most Common Objections Made During Trial TestimonyHearsay. A common, if not the most common trial objection to a trial testimony objection is hearsay. ... Leading. A close second objection is to leading questions. ... Relevancy. The last of the three (3) of the most common objections is relevancy.

Why do lawyers object?

The primary reason an attorney makes an objection is to preserve his right to appeal if he loses the case.

Why do lawyers object so much?

Lawyers generally object for one of two reasons. First, we object because we don't think the question asked of a witness is proper. Second, we object because we don't think the answer the witness is giving is proper.

What does objects mean in law?

As a verb, to take exception to something; to declare or express the belief that something is improper or illegal.As a noun, the thing sought to be accomplished or attained; aim; purpose; intention. One might, for example, object to the admission of particular evidence at a trial.

Who can object to a question?

Objections: The Crown Prosecutor or the Defence Counsel may object to a question or the admission of an exhibit or evidence. The judge may ask the person “on what rule of evidence are you relying on?” or “on what grounds are you making your objection.”. Lawyers may respond to the judge or to an objection and attempt to justify their ...

Who can ask questions in court?

Courtroom Procedures: Questions and Objections. Both the Crown Prosecutor and the Defence Counsel are allowed to ask questions of witnesses during the trial. They are presented in court by either the Crown or Defence in order to help prove their case/argument.

What does it mean to stand up when addressing a judge?

A lawyer must always stand when addressing the judge. Proper etiquette in a courtroom means that you always “rise” (stand up) when addressing the court. A Lawyer would begin an objection by stating: “I object your honour…” or. “The Crown objects your honour…” or. “Objection your Honour, the Crown/Defence is…”.

What does "harassing" mean in court?

The Lawyer harasses, abuses, insults, or intimidates the witness, or is forcefully pursuing a point unnecessarily. (f) repeating (Repetition) or wasting the court’s time: A question or answer is repeated multiple times or it takes too much time to think of questions/answers. (g) coaching the witness.

What is a leading question?

Leading questions suggest the answer in the question or ask for a yes or no answer.

What does "not give opinions or conclusions" mean?

Unless the witness is qualified as an expert witness (or is identified as a character witness), (s)he should not give opinions or conclusions that they are not qualified to give or is beyond their knowledge. They can speak to their own perspectives of the event. (e) badgering or harassing the witness.

What happens after a lawyer says an objection?

After stating an objection a lawyer must provide grounds (meaning a reason) for the objection.

What happens if a witness has already answered before you object?

If the witness has already answered before you object, the judge will instruct the jury to disregard the witness’ answer if your objection is sustained.

What are the rules for a lawyer to ask a witness during a trial?

Legal rules limit what kinds of questions a lawyer may ask a witness during trial. If the lawyer asks such a question, you need to object. There are many different objections you need to learn. If you are representing yourself in a trial, you want to commit several hours to learning the most common objections.

What is hearsay in court?

Understand “hearsay. ” Hearsay is second-hand testimony offered in court. For example, a witness can testify that they saw a white car run a red light. However, it is hearsay for the witness to say, “My mother told me a white car ran a red light.”

Why is it important to object on appeal?

It’s always important to object. On appeal, you can ask a higher court to review any mistakes the judge might have made. If you didn’t make an objection at trial, you lose the right to object on appeal. This explains why you need to object even if the witness has just answered—you need to preserve the issue for appeal.

Why do you want to stand when you raise an objection?

Because you are addressing your objection to the judge, you probably want to stand when you raise an objection. Sit with your chair slightly back from the table so that you can stand easily. Generally, you want to object before the witness answers a question.

What is the proper format for an objection?

The proper format is to say “Objection” and then identify the specific objection . Sometimes people say only “objection,” but the judge wants you to identify why you are objecting. The standard form of an objection is as follows: “Objection, Your Honor. Leading question.”.

What to say after objecting to a witness?

Typically, the judge will say either the following: “Overruled” or “Objection overruled.”. “Sustained” or “Objection sustained.”.

Why do attorneys hold discussions on the bench?

These discussions are purposefully held out of the jury’s hearing to avoid confusing the issues or influencing the jurors.

What is a private discussion between a judge and an attorney called?

These private discussions between the judge and attorneys are commonly referred to as side bar discussions.

Why do attorneys approach the bench?

Attorneys approach the bench to avoid the inconvenience and disruption of sending the jury from the courtroom. However, if the discussion is going to take a long time then the jury may be excused by the judge.

What does the opponent want to do when the objection is coming?

The opponent sees that an objectionable question is coming and objects before it’s asked; the opponent wants to approach the bench to explain the objection.

Why do lawyers ask questions?

Experienced attorneys ask questions to get a sense of how a juror will respond to the evidence and arguments in the case about to be tried. In most federal courts, lawyers submit questions to the judge, who will then question the potential jurors in open court. In state courts, however, lawyers are typically permitted to question ...

Why would a potential juror ignore the judge's instructions?

Similar personal experiences could cause a potential juror to ignore the judge’s instructions to decide the case based on the evidence and the law without “passion or prejudice.”. When a potential juror has had a life experience closely resembling the facts of the case, that person will likely be excused by the court.

What is the purpose of voir dire?

Its primary purpose is to make sure that the jurors can listen fairly and impartially to the evidence and render a verdict in accordance with ...

How to select a potential juror?

To expedite the selection process, potential jurors sometimes complete written questionnaires before meeting with the lawyers or the judge. These questionnaires help to quickly eliminate certain potential jurors—such as people who do not speak English well enough to follow testimony. They also identify subject areas, like prior experiences with law enforcement or the courts, for follow-up questions in the courtroom. If questionnaires are not used, lawyers or judges simply ask all of their questions in open court. Potential jurors may be questioned as a group or one at a time. Once preliminary issues, such as juror availability and competency have been covered, lawyers and judges move on to more substantive questions.

What happens if you don't use questionnaires in court?

If questionnaires are not used, lawyers or judges simply ask all of their questions in open court. Potential jurors may be questioned as a group or one at a time.

How to dismiss a potential jury?

Then defense counsel may choose to dismiss those jurors by using what is called a “peremptory challenge.” Unlike “for cause” challenges, each side gets a fixed number of peremptory challenges. By using a peremptory challenge, a lawyer can dismiss a potential juror from the case without giving any reason to the judge.

What is the process of jury selection?

The Process of Jury Selection (Voir Dire) The questioning of potential jurors follows different rules depending on the jurisdiction (that is, if the case is in federal or state court). Even within a jurisdiction, trial judges often have their own methods for picking a jury. But no matter where the case is tried, ...

How to hand a judge a document?

to hand the judge a document, the judge does not have to accept what the lawyer wants to hand the judge, and so one must ask whether the judge will accept the document and whether the judge will grant the lawyer permission to approach and hand the judge the document. Sometimes the judge will agree to accept the document, but still ask that you hand the document to his/her bailiff or clerk to give it to the judge, rather than you handing it to the judge directly.

Why do attorneys approach witnesses?

If the attorney is asking to approach a witness, opposing counsel table, or essentially anyone except for the bench, the primary reason is courtesy.

Why do judges use bench conferences?

A bench conference may also be used in a non-jury setting for the judge to briefly speak with the attorneys outside the hearing of the rest of the courtroom. If the attorney is requesting a bench conference, it may be to avoid the hearing of a witness in the courtroom, or persons in the gallery. It may be to simply resolve a quick technical point or establish the order of witnesses.

What is courtesy in court?

The first, again, is courtesy. It respects the authority of the judge to control the procedure and decorum of the courtroom. Before you just walk up to the judge and dump a bunch of documents in his lap, it’s respectful to ask first.

What does it mean to come closer to a witness?

to come closer to the witness for the purpose of speaking to a witness who is hard of hearing, or to point out a particular part of a document you want the witness to read or comment on, or to operate a machine or demonstrative exhibit, etc., the judge does not have to allow such a thing and may prefer that you stay put at the rostrum or counsel table, and so one must ask permission to approach the witness first.

What to do if someone supports non-representation of the criminal defendant?

If anyone who supports non-representation of the criminal defendant, then please offer some reasons for the stance — otherwise keep quiet and keep the opinions private, preferably on Sunday in church.

Which method of determining guilt or innocence requires a prosecution and a defence?

the judicial process is the generally accepted method of determining guilt or innocent, and that method requires a prosecution and a defence.

Chuck R. Pardue

You need to retain a probate attorney. An attorney can apply to have another person, such as yourself, to act as an substitute executor. The POA will not be sufficient.

Glen Edward Ashman

Sadly your mother missed the deadline to seek the home by years support, which was 2 years which might have avoided probate and some property taxes. Wills don't name administators-they name executors. Your POA doesn't help. Any close relative can seek to become administrator with will annexed.

Loraine M. DiSalvo

If you had sought help for your mother more quickly, then someone may have been able to file a year's support claim on her behalf and get the house and any other assets that may have become part of your father's probate estate to her that way, without the need to probate the Will.

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