Courtroom Objections Examples
Hearsay
Witness says: 'I heard from my neighbor that the defendant was seen leaving the scene right
after the incident.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, I object. The witness is testifying to hearsay, as they have no
personal knowledge of what was said.'
Leading
Attorney asks: 'You saw the defendant throw the bottle, didn’t you?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, I object to the question being leading. It suggests the answer to the
witness.'
Speculation
Witness says: 'I assume that the defendant must have been planning the crime for days.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness is speculating and cannot testify to the defendant's
intentions without direct knowledge.'
Asked and Answered
Attorney asks: 'Where were you when the incident occurred?'
Witness answers: 'I was at the park.'
Attorney asks again: 'And where were you when the incident occurred?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, that question has already been asked and answered.'
Relevance
Attorney says: 'I wish to introduce the defendant’s personal social media posts from two
years ago.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, this evidence is irrelevant to the case and does not relate to the
charges.'
Ambiguous or Unintelligible
Attorney asks: 'Can you clarify what you meant when you said ‘he was acting in a way that
seemed...’?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the question is ambiguous and unclear.'
Compound
Attorney asks: 'Can you tell the court whether you saw the defendant at the scene and what
they were wearing?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the question is compound; it includes two separate questions.'
Argumentative
Attorney says: 'Why do you continue to lie about seeing the defendant at the crime scene?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, that question is argumentative and seeks to argue with the witness.'
Argumentative Objection
Attorney says: 'You know the defendant had a motive, don’t you? How could you not see
that?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the question is argumentative, and the attorney is trying to make an
argument rather than ask a question.'
Authentication Objection
Attorney presents a photograph of the crime scene.
Objection: 'Your Honor, I object. The photograph has not been authenticated to show it
accurately depicts the scene.'
Narrative
Witness says: 'Then I heard the door slam, and I ran outside to see what happened, and
there were people shouting, and the defendant was running away, and—'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness is giving a narrative instead of answering the specific
question.'
Assumes Facts Not in Evidence
Attorney asks: 'When did you first realize that the defendant was involved in the crime?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the question assumes facts not in evidence, as no one has testified
to the defendant's involvement yet.'
Character Evidence
Witness says: 'The defendant has a history of being dishonest, so I’m sure they committed
the crime.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, this is inadmissible character evidence intended to attack the
defendant’s reputation.'
Lay Witness Opinion
Witness says: 'I think the defendant was upset when they did it, because they looked angry.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness is offering an opinion, and they are not qualified to
make judgments on the defendant’s emotions.'
Leading Question Objection
Attorney asks: 'Isn’t it true that you saw the defendant leave the store with a large bag?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, I object. The question is leading and suggests the answer.'
Best Evidence
Attorney says: 'I’ll submit a photocopy of the contract as evidence.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, I object on the grounds of the best evidence rule. The original
contract should be presented.'
Lack of Foundation
Attorney asks: 'What was the defendant thinking when they made that decision?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness has not established the foundation to testify about the
defendant’s mental state.'
Non-Responsive
Attorney asks: 'Where did you first meet the defendant?'
Witness answers: 'I was walking down the street when I heard someone call my name.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness is not answering the question and is being non-
responsive.'
Privilege
Attorney asks: 'What did you discuss with your lawyer during your meeting?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, I invoke attorney-client privilege for that communication.'
The Witness is Incompetent
Attorney calls a 5-year-old child as a witness.
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness is incompetent to testify due to their age and inability to
understand the oath.'
The Witness Lacks Personal Knowledge
Attorney asks: 'Did you see the defendant at the scene of the crime?'
Witness answers: 'I didn’t see it, but I heard from a friend that the defendant was there.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness lacks personal knowledge.'
During Redirect Examination
Attorney says on redirect: 'Now, you did see the defendant leave the scene, correct?'
Objection: 'Your Honor, that question goes beyond the scope of cross-examination.'
Improper Opinion
Witness says: 'I believe the defendant was guilty based on how they acted that day.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, the witness is offering an improper opinion that is not based on
their personal knowledge or expertise.'
Prejudicial
Attorney says: 'The defendant has been arrested multiple times before; they’re a repeat
offender.'
Objection: 'Your Honor, this evidence is prejudicial and meant to improperly sway the jury’s
opinion about the defendant.'
