Which factor indicates motive to lie due to interest and bias?

Which factor indicates motive to lie due to interest and bias?

• A. Interest and bias
• B. Capacity
• C. Hearsay
• D. Verbal act

Answer: (A)

The main idea is impeachment based on bias or interest. When a witness has a personal stake in the case or stands to benefit from a particular outcome, there’s a built-in motive to shape testimony in a way that helps that interest. That potential for partiality makes their statements less reliable and signals why their credibility should be treated with skepticism. Capacity, by contrast, concerns whether the witness actually observed or remembered what happened, which affects accuracy but not whether they’re biased toward lying. Hearsay is about whether a statement is admissible for truth in court, not about a witness’s motive to lie. Verbal act relates to the effect or significance of the words used, not to credibility or bias.

The main idea is impeachment based on bias or interest. When a witness has a personal stake in the case or stands to benefit from a particular outcome, there’s a built-in motive to shape testimony in a way that helps that interest. That potential for partiality makes their statements less reliable and signals why their credibility should be treated with skepticism.

Capacity, by contrast, concerns whether the witness actually observed or remembered what happened, which affects accuracy but not whether they’re biased toward lying. Hearsay is about whether a statement is admissible for truth in court, not about a witness’s motive to lie. Verbal act relates to the effect or significance of the words used, not to credibility or bias.