Which statement about reputation or opinion evidence affecting a witness's credibility is correct?

Which statement about reputation or opinion evidence affecting a witness's credibility is correct?

• A. Support is admissible only after the witness's character for truthfulness has been attacked.
• B. Reputation or opinion evidence about credibility may be offered at any time.
• C. Evidence of a witness's religious beliefs can be used to assess credibility.
• D. A witness cannot express any opinion about another's truthfulness.

Answer: (A)

Credibility evidence about a witness’s truthfulness—through a reputation for truthfulness or an opinion about truthfulness—may be offered only after that witness’s own credibility has been attacked. The purpose is to prevent bolstering a witness’s credibility before there’s been any challenge to it. In practice, a party first attacks credibility through cross-examination, prior inconsistent statements, or showing bias. Once credibility has been attacked, testimony about a witness’s truthfulness (reputation or opinion) may be introduced to support or undermine that witness’s credibility. This aligns with the idea that such credibility evidence is not admissible at any time, and it excludes using a witness’s religious beliefs to assess credibility. It also allows a witness to express opinions about another’s truthfulness once credibility has been attacked, so the statement that a witness cannot express any such opinion is not correct.

Credibility evidence about a witness’s truthfulness—through a reputation for truthfulness or an opinion about truthfulness—may be offered only after that witness’s own credibility has been attacked. The purpose is to prevent bolstering a witness’s credibility before there’s been any challenge to it. In practice, a party first attacks credibility through cross-examination, prior inconsistent statements, or showing bias. Once credibility has been attacked, testimony about a witness’s truthfulness (reputation or opinion) may be introduced to support or undermine that witness’s credibility.

This aligns with the idea that such credibility evidence is not admissible at any time, and it excludes using a witness’s religious beliefs to assess credibility. It also allows a witness to express opinions about another’s truthfulness once credibility has been attacked, so the statement that a witness cannot express any such opinion is not correct.