10 Most Common Objections Used By Lawyers In A Trial

by The Lawyer's Post July 7, 2014 3 Comments

In a trial, when one party is presenting a witness, it is the
responsibility of the lawyer for the opposing party to object or make
known his objections to any questions asked of the witness by the
lawyer. Untimely objections or questions not objected to, will result in
the answer to an objectionable question being made part of the
record, even though it should not be. Lawyers are always on guard to

perception, or guess of the incident. It also wastes the time of the

court.
4. Compound question, your honor!- a question is compound if it
consists of more than one question. It confuses the witness, and the
court, because one may never know what the witness is answering of
the two or more questions. It also allows for an irrelevant or
inadmissible answer.

make known their objections, otherwise, the other party may inject

5. Question calls for an opinion, your honor!- an ordinary

into the records something which should not be part of it.

witness may not state his opinion, as only expert witnesses may do.

So, what are objections? Objections are oppositions either to the

question propounded to the witness, or the answer made by the
witness.
What are some of the most common objections you can hear in a
courtroom? Here goes:
1. Leading, your honor!. Made when a question to a witness
suggests an answer, or urges and prompts the witness to give the
answer the examiner wants to hear. One can discern if a questions is

Ordinary witnesses can only testify on factual matters derived from

firsthand knowledge or observation.
6. Irrelevant, you honor!- when a question does not shed any light
on, have no logical connection to, or are too remote in time and
substance to the matter in issue.
7. Inadmissible, your honor!- questions which elicits answer
forbidden by law, such as the secrecy on bank deposits, rules on
hearsay, etc.

leading if it is answerable by yes or no. Leading questions are allowed

8. Incompetent, your honor!- this objection is resorted when the

in some instances, like in preliminary matters, or when the witness is

witness is not qualified to answer the question asked of him, as when

a child or of feeble mind.

he has no personal knowledge of the matter, or he does not possess

2. Misleading, your honor!- the question is objectionable

the necessary skill or qualification on the matter asked of him,

because it suggests an answer or suggests a wrong or untruthful

9. Question call for the opinions of a witness, and witness has

answer.

not been qualified as such!- when an expert witness is put on the

3. Vague, you honor!- this kind of question elicits a general

answer, giving the witness an opportunity to state his opinion, his

witness stand, his qualifications, training and study, as well as

experience must first be established by the proponent, unless the

other party stipulates on the credentials of the witness.
10. Question calls for a narration, your honor!- the questions
must be objected to because it allows the witness a license to say
almost anything, even if not connected to or relevant to the issue.
So, there you go. You may now object and object to whatever you
think is objectionable.
(From the book, Evidence in Action by Justice Ricardo L. Pronove Jr.,
1995 edition)