witness

witness
verb
To subscribe one's name to a deed, will, or other document, for the purpose of attesting its authenticity, and proving its execution, if required, by bearing witness thereto.
See also affirmation
noun
In general, one who, being present, personally sees or perceives a thing; a beholder, spectator, or eyewitness.
One who is called to testify before a court. People v. Ruiz, 100 Misc.2d 562, 419 N.Y.S.2d 864, 866.
One who testifies to what he has seen, heard, or otherwise observed. Wigginton v. Order of United Commercial Travelers of America, C.C.A.Ind., 126 F.2d 659, 666.
A person whose declaration under oath (or affirmation) is received as evidence for any purpose, whether such declaration be made on oral examination or by deposition or affidavit. Code Civ.Proc.Cal. No. 1878.
A person attesting genuineness of signature to document by adding his signature. In re Gorrell's Estate, 19 N.J.Misc. 168, 19 A.2d 334, 335.
One who is called upon to be present at a transaction, or the making of a will. He may thereafter, if necessary, testify to the transaction.
@ alibi witness
See Fed.R.Crim.P. 12.1.
See also alibi
@ character witness
In criminal cases, the accused is entitled to use character evidence in presenting the defense. The accused is entitled to show character traits inconsistent with the crime charged. Fed.R.Evid. 404(aXD.
The Federal Rules of Evidence and a majority of jurisdictions permit proof of character either by reputation or by receiving the opinion of persons who are sufficiently familiar with the accused to be able to testify concerning the trait in question. Fed.R.Evid. 405(a). U.S. v. Morgan, C.A.N.Y. (2nd Cir.) 554 F.2d 31, cert, denied, 434 U.S. 965, 98 S.Ct. 504, 54 L.Ed.2d 450.
Both the reputation witness who testifies as to the accused person's community reputation and the opinion witness who testifies that in his opinion the accused possesses certain character traits are generically referred to as "character witnesses."
See also Fed.R.Evid. 607-609.
@ grand jury witness
A person called to give evidence regarding matters under inquiry by the grand jury. State v. Hogervorst, 90 N.M. 580, 566 P.2d 828, 831.
@ immunity of witnesses
@ witness to will
One who has attested the will by subscribing his name thereto. The trend in state statutes is to require two witnesses to attest to the signing of the will.
See e.g. Uniform Probate Code No. 2-502.
See also attestation clause
@ witness against oneself
@
See also
- competent witness
- grand jury witness
- immunity of witnesses

Black's law dictionary. . 1990.

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  • witness — wit·ness 1 n [Old English witnes knowledge, testimony, witness, from wit mind, sense, knowledge] 1 a: attestation of a fact or event in witness whereof the parties have executed this release b: evidence (as of the authenticity of a conveyance by… …   Law dictionary

  • WITNESS — (Heb. עֵד, one that has personal knowledge of an event or a fact. The evidence of at least two witnesses was required for convicting the accused (Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15; cf. I Kings 21:10, 13). Commercial transactions of importance took… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Witness — Wit ness, n. [AS. witness, gewitnes, from witan to know. [root]133. See {Wit}, v. i.] [1913 Webster] 1. Attestation of a fact or an event; testimony. [1913 Webster] May we with . . . the witness of a good conscience, pursue him with any further… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Witness — • One who is present, bears testimony, furnishes evidence or proof Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Witness     Witness     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Witness (cd) — Witness (album) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Witness (homonymie). Witness Album par Witness Sortie 1994 Enregistrement 1994 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • witness — [n] person who observes an event attestant, attestor, beholder, bystander, corroborator, deponent, eyewitness, gawker, looker on, observer, onlooker, proof, rubbernecker*, signatory, signer, spectator, testifier, testimony, viewer, watcher;… …   New thesaurus

  • Witness — Wit ness, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Witnessed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Witnessing}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To see or know by personal presence; to have direct cognizance of. [1913 Webster] This is but a faint sketch of the incalculable calamities and horrors we …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • witness — [wit′nis] n. [ME witnesse < OE (ge)witnes, witness, knowledge, testimony < witan, to know: see WISE1 & NESS] 1. an attesting of a fact, statement, etc.; evidence; testimony 2. a person who saw, or can give a firsthand account of, something… …   English World dictionary

  • witness to — ˈwitness to [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they witness to he/she/it witnesses to present participle witnessing to past tense witnessed to …   Useful english dictionary

  • Witness — Wit ness, v. i. To bear testimony; to give evidence; to testify. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] The men of Belial witnessed against him. 1 Kings xxi. 13. [1913 Webster] The witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with this event… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Witness — Título Único testigo (España) Testigo en peligro (Hispanoamérica) Ficha técnica Dirección Peter Weir Producción Edward S. Feldman …   Wikipedia Español

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