Litigation Law
Cross-Examination
The questioning of a witness by the opposing side's lawyer, aimed at testing the truthfulness and reliability of their testimony.
After a witness gives their initial testimony (examination-in-chief), the opposing party's counsel gets to cross-examine them — asking pointed, often challenging questions designed to expose inconsistencies, test memory, or bring out facts favourable to the other side.
Cross-examination is considered central to a fair trial, since it is the primary way a court gets to judge how reliable a witness's account really is.
Need a Litigation lawyer?
Browse Litigation Lawyers