Evidence

 and  the  Art  of  Advocacy    

Hearsay  Cheat  Sheet  
 
How  To  Know  If  It’s  Hearsay  
 
-­‐ Is  the  testimony  regarding  
o 1)  Something  out  of  court?    
§ something  that  was  said  or  conduct  that  occurred  outside  of  
this  courtroom  and  this  trial  FRE  801(c)(1)  
o 2)  A  statement?  FRE  801(a)  
§ Verbal  conduct  
§ Non  verbal  conduct  intended  to  assert  something,  or  arising  
out  of  a  belief  in  a  condition  sought  to  be  proved  
o Being  offered  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  matter  asserted  in  the  
statement?  FRE  801  (c)(2)  
§ Do  we  care  that  the  statement  the  witnesses  is  testifying  to  is  
true,  or  do  we  not  care  about  it’s  truth?    
§ Is  the  statement  being  offered  for  some  other  reason?  
• The  mere  fact  that  it  was  said    
o Verbal  acts  affecting  legal  rights  or  nonverbal  
conduct  intending  to  affect  legal  rights  
• The  mere  fact  that  somebody  heard  it    
o Knowledge  
o notice  
• Because  it  caused  somebody  that  heard  it  to  do  
something    
o Effect  on  the  listener    
o If  the  answer  to  any  of  the  above  is  no,  the  statement  is  not  hearsay  
and  is  admissible  over  objection  FRE  801  
 
-­‐ If  the  answer  to  all  the  above  is  yes,  it  is  still  excluded  from  the  hearsay  rule  
and  admissible  over  objection  if:  
o its  a  prior  inconsistent  statement  made  by  the  declarant  who  
testified  and  was  given  under  oath  at  a  prior  trial,  hearing,  deposition,  
or  other  proceeding,  FRE  801(d)(1)(A),    or  
o it’s  a  prior  consistent  statement  and  its  being  offered  to  rebut  an  
express  or  implied  charge  that  the  declarant  recently  fabricated  it  or  
acted  from  an  recent  improper  influence  or  motive,  FRE  
801(d)(1)(B)(i)  or  
o to  rehabilitate  the  declarant  witness’  credibility  when  attacked  on  
another  ground,  FRE  801(d)(1)(B)(ii),  or  
o is  identification  testimony,  FRE  801(d)(1)(C)  or  
o was  made  by  your  opponent  or  an  agent  of  your  opponent,  or  was  
adopted  by  your  opponent  or  an  agent  of  your  opponent,  or  was  
made  by  your  opponent’s  co-­‐conspirator,  FRE  801(d)(2)  
 -­‐ If  none  of  the  above  apply,  it  is  still  hearsay  but  might  be  subject  to  an  
exception  under  803  (if  declarant  available  or  unavailable)  if  the  statement  
is  concerning    a  
o Present  sense  impression  (not  in  IL)  803(1)  
o Excited  utterance  803(2)  
o State  of  mind  (mental,  emotional  or  physical  condition)  803(3)  
o Statement  made  for  medical  diagnosis  (patient  to  person  treating)  
803(4)  
o Recorded  recollection  803(5)  
o Business  record  803(6)  and  (7)  
o Public  record  803(8)  
o Other  reliable  record  as  set  forth  in  the  rule  803(9)-­‐(16)  
o Market  report  803(17)  
o Learned  treatise  803(18)  
o Reputation/fact  about  a  person’s  family  history  or  geography  803(19)  
and  (20)  
o Reputation  concerning  character  803(21)  
o Judgment  of  previous  conviction  or  personal/family  status    803(22)-­‐
(23)  
 
-­‐ If  none  of  the  above  apply  an  the  declarant  is  unavailable,  it  is  still  hearsay  
but  might  be  subject  to  an  exception  under  804  if  the  statement    
o Is  former  testimony  subject  to  cross  examination  804(b)(1)  
o Made  under  belief  of  imminent  death  804(b)(2)  
o Is  against  the  declarant’s  interest  804(b)(3)  
o Is  about  personal  or  family  history  804(b)(4)  
o Is  offered  against  a  party  that  wrongfully  caused  the  declarant’s  
unavailability  804(b)(6)  
 
*To  get  hearsay  in  evidence:  
 
-­‐ your  best  argument  is  that  the  statement  is  not  hearsay  because  it  is  
excluded  from  the  hearsay  rule  (party  opponent,  prior  inconsistent  or  
consistent  statement)    
-­‐ your  next  best  argument  is  that  the  statement  is  not  hearsay  because  it  is  not  
being  offered  for  the  truth  of  the  matter  asserted,  but  rather  for  some  
other  purpose    
-­‐ your  next  best  argument  is  that  the  statement  is  hearsay  but  is  subject  to  an  
exception  
 
*  Always  listen  for  buzz  words  like  “said,”  “told,”  or  information  the  witness  only  
knows  because  she  heard  or  read  it  somewhere  
 
*Object  to  foundation  if  it  is  lacking  and  advantageous  to  do  so.  Object  only  when  
your  opponent  asks  the  questions  which  will  elicit  the  hearsay,  or  when  the  witness  
begins  offering  the  hearsay.