Anyone know lawyer/judge lingo?

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Carrieberrie

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Okay.....so, a witness is on the stand being questioned by a lawyer; the lawyer ask a direct yes or no question (Do you like hamburgers) and the witness responds " I'm a vegetarian" instead of answering the question yes or no. What is the lingo that either the judge or lawyer says? Because the witness didn't actually answer the question. Does anyone know?
 
Motion to strike. Not responsive to the question, and also if it pertains to hamburgers and its not relevant to the case, the other lawyer might have objected on the grounds that the question lacks relevance, is not probative, and may in fact be prejudicial.
 
Some lawyer who wanted to be a jerk could say "objection. The answer is non-responsive." A judge who was an idiot could say "sustained." The same lawyer might say, "your honor could you direct the witness to answer the actual question?" If the judge has found his sanity he would respond "it was a proper answer. Ask your next question."
Alternatively, the lawyer then asks the witness "did you hear my last question? Did you understand it? Did you think I was asking you if you were a vegetarian? All I asked was whether you liked hamburgers. Please answer that question and only that question. Do you like hamburgers?"
The next lawyer would handle it a third way. There are no universal scripts.
 
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