If a witness testifies about what Witness A told them about Witness C, this is considered what type of evidence?

• A. Hearsay
• B. Direct evidence
• C. Circumstantial evidence
• D. Opinion evidence

Answer: (A)

Hearsay is the idea being tested here. When a witness testifies about what another person told them about someone else, they are relaying an out-of-court statement rather than recounting their own observation. This is presented to prove the truth of what was said, which is exactly what hearsay covers. It’s not direct evidence, because the witness isn’t describing something they witnessed firsthand. It’s not circumstantial evidence, which would involve inferring a fact from other facts. It’s not opinion evidence, since the statement is about events or attributes, not the witness’s own opinion. Therefore, this testimony is hearsay and would generally be excluded unless a recognized exception or rule applies.