there's no property in a witness

English translation: no one party owns the witness

19:56 Nov 5, 2003
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general)
English term or phrase: there's no property in a witness
"Dangerfield"
Paige is sitting outside the courtroom. He is a witness in a murder case. Cramer walks down towards him.

Cramer: I was told you'd be back...
Paige: Well, obviously they couldn't get enough of me.
Cramer: Isn't there some legal phrase... "there's no property in a witness"?
Paige: Does that mean you don't mind what I tell them?
Cramer: By all means tel them the truth. Just be economical with it.
lim0nka
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:04
Selected answer:no one party owns the witness
Explanation:
The assertion, ‘There is no property in a witness’, is usually taken to mean that either party to an action may take a statement from a witness and adduce it in evidence or may call the witness to give evidence in court.
Selected response from:

NGK
United States
Local time: 21:04
Grading comment
Thank you very much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +10no one party owns the witness
NGK
4 +5Paige has to answer to the defense and the prosecution
jerrie


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
no one party owns the witness


Explanation:
The assertion, ‘There is no property in a witness’, is usually taken to mean that either party to an action may take a statement from a witness and adduce it in evidence or may call the witness to give evidence in court.


    Reference: http://www.jspubs.com/Experts/ewire/itemtext.cfm?ewid=11
NGK
United States
Local time: 21:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you very much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  nyamuk: Thats right a witness can be an asset or a liability, regardless of who called them.
1 hr

agree  DGK T-I: good ref ~
1 hr

agree  Catherine Norton
1 hr

agree  Jeannie Graham
2 hrs

agree  senin
6 hrs

agree  Refugio
6 hrs

agree  Rajan Chopra
8 hrs

agree  Anglo-German (X)
8 hrs

agree  Empty Whiskey Glass
11 hrs

agree  melayujati
15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Paige has to answer to the defense and the prosecution


Explanation:
There is no "property" in a witness – in other words, the other side may be able to interview your witness and obtain helpful information which could possibly undermine your whole strategy in putting your client's case to the tribunal.

Once a witness has been called to the stands, either as a witness for the defense, or for the prosecution, either party has the right to question him.

Here Paige has already answered to one party, and court has been ajourned, and he has been called to answer to the other party.

Once in court the witness is not the sole property of either party, he is there to be 'shared' - to strengthen the case of one side, and be discredited by the other!

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DGK T-I
16 mins

agree  Catherine Norton
50 mins

agree  Rajan Chopra
7 hrs

agree  Anglo-German (X)
7 hrs

agree  Empty Whiskey Glass
10 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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