{"id":352248,"date":"2023-11-14T01:36:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T06:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/character-as-evidence.html"},"modified":"2023-11-14T01:36:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T06:36:17","slug":"character-as-evidence","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/character-as-evidence.html","title":{"rendered":"Character Evidence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Character Evidence<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/sarah-williams-j-d\/\">Sarah Williams, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/melissa-bender-esq\/\">Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            November 14, 2023\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>Character is a general quality usually attributed to a person. When we say someone has good character, we generally mean they&#8217;re trustworthy and decent. But this belief is also vague and subjective. And even someone with positive character traits may be capable of committing illegal acts.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<p>This article explains when character evidence is applicable in criminal trials, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The character of a witness<\/li>\n<li>The character of the victim<\/li>\n<li>Prior acts of the criminal defendant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our discussion focuses on the federal rules of evidence (FRE). State rules generally follow the federal guidelines, but it&#8217;s best to consult with an <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/criminal-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">attorney in your area<\/a> to know how they will impact your case.<\/p>\n<h2>Criticisms of Character Evidence<\/h2>\n<p>The problem with using evidence of the defendant&#8217;s character at trial is that it can distort the facts and prejudice the jury. Jurors might unknowingly give more weight to character evidence than&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/evidence.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">material evidence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Serial killer&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/shadow-boxing\/201508\/the-bundy-effect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ted Bundy<\/a>, for example, went out of his way to exude positive character traits in public and was able to evade authorities because of it. He worked as a crisis counselor for sexual assault victims. He would later confess to the sexual assault and murder of dozens of women.<\/p>\n<p>Still, it&#8217;s also true that past behavior is a strong indicator of future behavior.&nbsp;Courts aim to strike a balance, avoiding bias while also considering all relevant facts.<\/p>\n<h2>Is Character Evidence Admissible in Court?<\/h2>\n<p>Sometimes, but it depends on who introduces it. The general rule in criminal law is that evidence of the character of a defendant is inadmissible unless the defendant raises it. The prosecutor cannot use character evidence to show that the defendant acted in a certain way on a specific occasion (like the time of the crime).<\/p>\n<p>For example, suppose a defendant tends to exaggerate or lie to friends and family. This is not admissible as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/law-of-criminal-evidence-background.html\">evidence<\/a>&nbsp;of a person&#8217;s embezzlement or to prove he defrauded others out of money or property.<\/p>\n<h3>The Defendant&#8217;s Use of Character Evidence<\/h3>\n<p>A defendant may use evidence of their good character. Or, they can use evidence of the victim&#8217;s character trait as long as it&#8217;s relevant to the crime at hand.<\/p>\n<h3>The Prosecutor&#8217;s Use of Character Evidence<\/h3>\n<p>Prosecutors may have a valid reason to bring character evidence into the case.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For example, suppose a defendant in a homicide case offers evidence of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-law-basics\/self-defense-overview.html\">self-defense<\/a>. Under&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/rules\/fre\/rule_404\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FRE 404,<\/a>&nbsp;the prosecution may offer evidence to show the alleged victim&#8217;s peaceful character. This would undermine the defendant&#8217;s claim that the victim was the first aggressor. Or, the prosecution can provide evidence to show the defendant has the same character trait they say the victim had.<\/p>\n<p>The prosecution must provide reasonable notice to the defendant if they intend to use this type of evidence. They also must state how they are using this evidence, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Case-in-chief (proving motive, intent, absence of mistake, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Impeachment (attacking the credibility of a witness&#8217;s testimony)<\/li>\n<li>Rebuttal (discrediting the defense)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But this doesn&#8217;t mean that a prosecutor can never use character evidence.<\/p>\n<p>Under&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/rules\/fre\/rule_405\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FRE 405<\/a>, admissible character evidence includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Testimony about the person&#8217;s reputation (e.g., co-workers)<\/li>\n<li>Testimony in the form of an opinion (e.g., neighbors)<\/li>\n<li>Evidence of specific acts on cross-examination of a character witness<\/li>\n<li>Specific instances of conduct (where it is an essential element of a charge, claim, or defense)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Character Evidence in Sex Offense Cases<\/h2>\n<p>Under&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/rules\/fre\/rule_412\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FRE 412<\/a>, evidence of a victim&#8217;s past sexual behavior or predisposition in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/sex-offenders-and-sex-offenses-overview.html\">sex offense cases<\/a> is not admissible. This protects the victim&#8217;s privacy and avoids potential prejudice or sexual stereotyping. This rule applies to both civil and criminal cases.<\/p>\n<p>There are very limited exceptions where the trial court may admit such evidence. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/civil-sexual-assault-lawsuits.html\">civil cases<\/a> for sex offense claims, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/real-and-demonstrative-evidence.html\">probative value<\/a>&nbsp;must substantially outweigh the danger of harm to any victim and unfair prejudice to any party.<\/p>\n<p>In criminal cases, the court may admit evidence of a victim&#8217;s sexual behavior for the following limited purposes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If offered to prove someone other than the defendant was the source of semen, injury, or other physical evidence<\/li>\n<li>To prove consent, if offered by the defendant<\/li>\n<li>Evidence whose exclusion would violate the defendant&#8217;s constitutional rights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The evidence offered must be specific instances, not the alleged victim&#8217;s general attitude toward sex.<\/p>\n<h2>Character Evidence and the Sentencing Stage<\/h2>\n<p>As discussed above, character evidence generally isn&#8217;t allowed during the trial phase to show that a person acted a certain way. But it&#8217;s frequently introduced during&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/criminal-sentencing.html\">sentencing<\/a>. Prosecutors often present evidence of past misconduct or lack of empathy to argue for more serious punishment.<\/p>\n<p>For example, someone who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/parole-violation.html\">violated the terms of parole<\/a> on a prior conviction might be more likely to get detained without parole in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Defense attorneys often introduce character witnesses during sentencing to show the defendant&#8217;s positive traits, charitable deeds, or other law-abiding behavior.<\/p>\n<p>For example, consider convicted murderer Stanley &quot;Tookie&quot; Williams. Williams was responsible for multiple gang-related murders in the Los Angeles area. But before his execution in 2005, his defense team asked the courts to spare his life because of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/templates\/story\/story.php?storyId=5051493\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">positive work he did while incarcerated,<\/a>&nbsp;promoting nonviolence and alternatives to street gangs.<\/p>\n<h2>Character vs. Habit<\/h2>\n<p>Habit is often confused with character, but it&#8217;s admissible as evidence in certain circumstances. A habit is a specific, regular, and consistently repeated behavior. It doesn&#8217;t describe a personality or character trait of the person, but something they do habitually or regularly. So, someone&#8217;s habits or tendencies are sometimes relevant to a case.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/stalking.html\">stalking<\/a>&nbsp;cases, the crux of the criminal act is a pattern of repeated behavior. This behavior causes fear or substantial emotional distress.<\/p>\n<p>Suppose the defendant visited a specific coffee shop every morning for years. That fact is more likely than not evidence that he was probably at the coffee shop on the morning of a particular robbery. Occasionally, some character traits align with a habit, so the distinction between the two can sometimes be hard to make.<\/p>\n<h2>Character Evidence in Civil Suits<\/h2>\n<p>In civil suits, evidence that a person has a certain character trait is inadmissible to prove that someone acted that way on a particular occasion. But, character evidence is admissible where it&#8217;s an integral issue in a dispute, as in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/defamation-libel-and-slander-background.html\">defamation cases<\/a>, or where a party puts character at issue.<\/p>\n<h2>Have an Attorney Evaluate the Evidence Against You<\/h2>\n<p>If you&#8217;re charged with a crime, the verdict will rest on various evidence. This may include character evidence (in limited situations). A skilled legal professional will:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be able to evaluate the evidence<\/li>\n<li>File motions for exclusion<\/li>\n<li>Develop a strategy to rebut negative evidence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Get started today by contacting an experienced&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/criminal-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">criminal defense attorney<\/a>&nbsp;near you.<\/p>\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text 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It can pose a danger of bias. Learn about the limited exceptions for character evidence at FindLaw.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":352235,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2729],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-352248","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-criminal"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352248\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/352235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352248"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=352248"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=352248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}