AAERT Certified Electronic Reporter (CER) Practice Test

Which witness testifies about a person's tendencies and personality?

1. Expert Witness

2. Lay Witness

3. Character Witness

4. Percipient Witness

The correct answer is: Character Witness

The correct answer is the character witness. A character witness specifically provides testimony regarding an individual's character traits and tendencies, which may include their honesty, reliability, and overall disposition. This type of testimony is often used to help establish the credibility of a party involved in a legal matter or to influence the perception of the party's behavior in relation to the case at hand. In legal proceedings, the insight of a character witness can be critical, as it provides the court with an understanding of how a person typically behaves, which can be relevant in considering the person's actions in the situation being examined. This differs significantly from other types of witnesses. For instance, an expert witness is someone with specialized knowledge or expertise that is relevant to the case, providing opinions based on their qualifications rather than personal insights into a person's character. A lay witness, on the other hand, offers testimony based on their personal observations but does not have a specialized background to provide deeper context about a person's character or tendencies. Lastly, a percipient witness is someone who directly saw or heard the event in question. This witness type focuses on direct evidence rather than the character traits or tendencies of individuals. Therefore, the character witness has a distinct role in providing testimony about personal attributes, making it the correct choice