Leading Question
In common law systems that rely on testimony by witnesses, a leading question or suggestive interrogation is a question that suggests the particular answer or contains the information the examiner is looking to have confirmed. Their use is restricted in eliciting testimony in court, to reduce the ability of the examiner to direct or influence the evidence presented. Depending on the circumstances, leading questions can be objectionable or proper.
Leading questions may often be answerable with a yes or no (though not all yes-no questions are leading). The propriety of leading questions generally depends on the relationship of the witness to the party conducting the examination. An examiner may generally ask leading questions of a hostile witness or on cross examination (to elicit testimony which the witness might be reluctant to volunteer), but not on direct examination (to "coach" the witness to provide a particular answer).
Leading questions are distinct from loaded questions, which are objectionable because they contain implicit assumptions (such as "Have you stopped beating your wife?" indirectly asserting that the subject both has a wife, and has beaten her at some point).
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- Presumption of Law and Fact
- Presumption as to documents etc.
- Public and Private Documents
- Facts which need not to be proved
- Estoppel
- Burden of Proof
- Legitimacy of child how proved?
- Examination of Witnesses
- Leading Question
- Examination in Chief
- Cross Examination
- Re-Examination
- Hostile Witness
- Modren Devices and Evidence
- Refreshing Memory
- Assessment Plan
- Recommended Readings
- Time Table
- Introduction
- Chapters 19
- Department Law College
- Teacher
Muhammad Saqib Hameed
