Section 145Procedural
Witnesses to character
Full Text
Witnesses to character may be cross-examined and re-examined.
Plain English Summary
Allows witnesses who testify about a person's character to be cross-examined and re-examined in the same manner as other witnesses.
Key Legal Elements
- Witnesses called solely to testify about a party's character are subject to cross-examination.
- Such character witnesses are also subject to re-examination by the party who called them.
- Treats character witnesses on par with any other witness regarding trial examination rules.
Practical Note
When a character witness is brought in to establish the good reputation of the accused or a party, the opposing advocate can cross-examine them to impeach their credibility or expose specific bad character traits (subject to character relevancy rules under Sections 51-55 of BSA). It ensures that character evidence is subjected to the same rigorous testing as factual evidence.
हिंदी पाठ
शील के साक्षियों की प्रतिपरीक्षा और पुनःपरीक्षा की जा सकेगी।