What is a compound question and why is it objectionable?

What is a compound question and why is it objectionable?

• A. A question that asks for a yes or no and a narrative; not allowed.
• B. A question that is overly long and redundant; permissible if necessary.
• C. A question that asks two or more things at once; it should be split into separate questions.
• D. A question that repeats evidence presented by another witness.

Answer: (C)

A compound question is one that asks two or more things at once, so the witness must respond to multiple issues in a single answer. It’s objectionable because it risks unclear or partial responses, confuses the jury, and makes it hard to verify each fact separately. The proper fix is to split the inquiry into separate questions, allowing the witness to answer each point clearly and for the court to review each fact on its own. For example, asking, “Did you see the defendant speed and did you see him run the red light?” combines two separate questions. A clean, acceptable approach is to ask two questions one at a time: “Did you see the defendant speed?” followed by “Did you see him run the red light?” This is why the correct choice describes a compound question and why it should be split.

A compound question is one that asks two or more things at once, so the witness must respond to multiple issues in a single answer. It’s objectionable because it risks unclear or partial responses, confuses the jury, and makes it hard to verify each fact separately. The proper fix is to split the inquiry into separate questions, allowing the witness to answer each point clearly and for the court to review each fact on its own.

For example, asking, “Did you see the defendant speed and did you see him run the red light?” combines two separate questions. A clean, acceptable approach is to ask two questions one at a time: “Did you see the defendant speed?” followed by “Did you see him run the red light?” This is why the correct choice describes a compound question and why it should be split.