If you are involved in a legal matter, there is a decent chance that the case will end up in court. When this happens, witnesses are often called to share testimony to help establish credibility in the case. But did you know that there are different types of witnesses available to you during a Minnesota criminal case? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at three types of witnesses you may rely on during your criminal case.
Three Types Of Witnesses
There are three different types of witnesses that can be put on the stand during the scope of your trial. They are:
Eye Witnesses – When you think of a witness, an eye witness is the type that likely comes to mind first. They are someone who witnessed the alleged incident or who can speak to the details of the crime itself. Eyewitness testimony isn’t perfect, but a credible eye witnesses can go a long way in making or breaking a case. However, an unreliable eyewitness can do a lot of harm to your case, so a criminal attorney will choose their witnesses carefully.
Expert Witness – An expert witness is someone that can speak to the nature of the events in question without having witnessed the incident take place. For example, a blood spatter expert may speak to the injuries or the type of weapon that was used in the assault based on the evidence. Another type of expert witness is an accident reconstruction expert. They can verify your claim that you tried to brake or that you were traveling at a certain speed when a crash occurred just by looking at tire tracks, vehicle damage and other related factors. Testimony from these sources also carry a lot of weight.
Character Witness – Finally, a character witness is someone who is called to the stand to speak to the character of the accused. These are typically friends, family members or neighbors who have a history with the defendant. They can help speak to the defendant’s motives and nature, and while they are important in the totality of the trial, their testimony isn’t as crucial as other types of witnesses because they have reason to paint the defendant in a favorable light.
For more information about witnesses during trial, or to talk to a lawyer about the criminal charges you are facing and the prospect of calling witnesses to help your case, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today.
