Asking 'Are you lying now or then?' to the witness would trigger which objection?

Asking 'Are you lying now or then?' to the witness would trigger which objection?

• A. Argumentative
• B. Speculation
• C. Improper Opinion
• D. Hearsay

Answer: (A)

The question is about whether a line of inquiry is merely argumentative rather than seeking factual information. An objectionable “argumentative” question is one that tries to persuade the jury or harass the witness instead of eliciting specific facts. Asking a witness, “Are you lying now or then?” pressures the witness to concede dishonesty across time and frames the witness’s credibility in a broad, accusatory way. It isn’t tied to a concrete fact or event you want to prove; it’s a rhetorical move aimed at inflaming the jury and seizing the witness with a conclusion about their character. In proper cross-examination, you should aim for precise, fact-bound questions or point to a specific prior statement and ask about it with a foundation. This question, by its nature, is argumentative, which is why it triggers that objection.

The question is about whether a line of inquiry is merely argumentative rather than seeking factual information. An objectionable “argumentative” question is one that tries to persuade the jury or harass the witness instead of eliciting specific facts.

Asking a witness, “Are you lying now or then?” pressures the witness to concede dishonesty across time and frames the witness’s credibility in a broad, accusatory way. It isn’t tied to a concrete fact or event you want to prove; it’s a rhetorical move aimed at inflaming the jury and seizing the witness with a conclusion about their character. In proper cross-examination, you should aim for precise, fact-bound questions or point to a specific prior statement and ask about it with a foundation. This question, by its nature, is argumentative, which is why it triggers that objection.