Which statement about relevancy is true?

Which statement about relevancy is true?

• A. Irrelevant evidence is admissible.
• B. All relevant evidence is automatically admitted.
• C. Irrelevant evidence is inadmissible.
• D. Relevant evidence may be excluded only for prejudice.

Answer: (C)

Relevance means evidence must have a tendency to make a material fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence. If evidence does not help prove or disprove a fact at issue, it is irrelevant and not admissible. That’s why the statement that irrelevant evidence is inadmissible is true. Remember, relevant evidence isn’t automatically admitted; the court can still exclude it for other reasons. And relevant evidence isn’t limited to exclusion only for prejudice—there are other grounds like preventing confusion or wasting time, and even highly prejudicial evidence can be kept out if its probative value is outweighed.

Relevance means evidence must have a tendency to make a material fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence. If evidence does not help prove or disprove a fact at issue, it is irrelevant and not admissible. That’s why the statement that irrelevant evidence is inadmissible is true. Remember, relevant evidence isn’t automatically admitted; the court can still exclude it for other reasons. And relevant evidence isn’t limited to exclusion only for prejudice—there are other grounds like preventing confusion or wasting time, and even highly prejudicial evidence can be kept out if its probative value is outweighed.