What does 'relevant evidence' mean?

What does 'relevant evidence' mean?

• A. Evidence that proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
• B. Relevant evidence means evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable.
• C. Evidence that is admissible regardless of prejudice.
• D. Evidence that is always admissible.

Answer: (B)

Relevant evidence is evidence that has any tendency to make a fact of consequence more probable or less probable. In other words, it must be probative of something that matters in the case—the elements of the crime, a claim or defense, or any fact that could influence the outcome. The phrase “any tendency” means even a small probative effect can make something relevant. But relevance is just the first gate. Even though something is relevant, it can still be excluded if its probative value is outweighed by risks like unfair prejudice, confusion, or waste of time under other rules. So, the correct idea here is that relevance ties evidence to a fact that matters in the case, and its value is judged by whether it tends to make that fact more or less probable, not by whether it proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or that it is admissible in all circumstances.

Relevant evidence is evidence that has any tendency to make a fact of consequence more probable or less probable. In other words, it must be probative of something that matters in the case—the elements of the crime, a claim or defense, or any fact that could influence the outcome.

The phrase “any tendency” means even a small probative effect can make something relevant. But relevance is just the first gate. Even though something is relevant, it can still be excluded if its probative value is outweighed by risks like unfair prejudice, confusion, or waste of time under other rules.

So, the correct idea here is that relevance ties evidence to a fact that matters in the case, and its value is judged by whether it tends to make that fact more or less probable, not by whether it proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or that it is admissible in all circumstances.