What is the Rule 608(a) standard for admitting witness credibility evidence?

What is the Rule 608(a) standard for admitting witness credibility evidence?

• A. Specific acts are admissible to prove credibility, provided they are probative.
• B. Reputation or opinion evidence of truthfulness is not admissible to prove credibility.
• C. Specific acts may be introduced as substantive evidence.
• D. Reputation or opinion evidence of truthfulness is admissible to prove credibility; specific acts are restricted to cross-examination and extrinsic evidence of those acts is generally inadmissible.

Answer: (D)

Rule 608(a) sets how to handle credibility evidence. It allows you to show a witness’s truthfulness through reputation or opinion about their honesty, but only after someone has attacked the witness’s credibility. When it comes to specific acts, you can question about them on cross-examination to test credibility, but you cannot prove those acts with extrinsic evidence (no third-party testimony or documents to establish them). This distinction—reputation or opinion evidence is admissible to bolster or attack credibility, while specific acts cannot be proven by extrinsic evidence—explains why the correct standard is that reputation or opinion evidence of truthfulness is admissible to prove credibility; specific acts are restricted to cross-examination, with extrinsic evidence generally inadmissible.

Rule 608(a) sets how to handle credibility evidence. It allows you to show a witness’s truthfulness through reputation or opinion about their honesty, but only after someone has attacked the witness’s credibility. When it comes to specific acts, you can question about them on cross-examination to test credibility, but you cannot prove those acts with extrinsic evidence (no third-party testimony or documents to establish them). This distinction—reputation or opinion evidence is admissible to bolster or attack credibility, while specific acts cannot be proven by extrinsic evidence—explains why the correct standard is that reputation or opinion evidence of truthfulness is admissible to prove credibility; specific acts are restricted to cross-examination, with extrinsic evidence generally inadmissible.