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Warning
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
lay witness
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A quick definition of lay witness:
A lay witness is someone who testifies in court but is not an expert in any particular area. They can only speak about things they personally know or have seen, and cannot give opinions based on scientific or technical knowledge. In some courts, everyone is considered competent to be a witness unless there is a specific reason they cannot testify.
A more thorough explanation:
A lay witness is someone who testifies in court but is not an expert witness. They do not need to have any special qualifications to testify. However, they can only testify about things they personally know about.
For example, if someone witnessed a car accident, they could testify about what they saw and heard. But if they were asked to explain the physics of the accident, they would not be able to do so because they are not an expert in that field.
Lay witnesses are important because they can provide firsthand accounts of events that can help a jury make a decision.