admissibility

In law, evidence refers to any material or factual assertions presented to a court to determine the truth of a matter under investigation. The law of evidence primarily consists of procedural rules for presenting facts, including witness testimony, documents, or physical objects.1

Admissibility concerns whether evidence is legally permissible to be presented in court. While relevance relates to logical considerations, admissibility is determined by law. In common-law systems, numerous rules govern admissibility, excluding evidence for reasons such as witness incompetency, privileges (like against self-incrimination), or rules against hearsay. Hearsay, which is testimony about what others have said, may be refused if its value relies on someone not under oath or available for cross-examination. In contrast, civil-law systems, which often lack juries, may allow judges to consider any pertinent evidence.23