Courtroom Testimony and Procedures Flashcards
7 cards from real CFN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Courtroom Testimony and Procedures flashcards as text
A forensic nurse is challenged during cross-examination with a journal article that contradicts her opinion. She should:
Answer: Acknowledge the article and explain any limitations or distinctions from the current case
Acknowledging literature while contextualizing its limitations demonstrates scientific integrity and prevents the appearance of ignoring contrary evidence.
The chain of custody for physical evidence is significant in court because it:
Answer: Establishes that evidence has not been altered or tampered with from collection to presentation
Chain of custody documents the handling of evidence at each step to verify its integrity and prevent successful challenges to its authenticity.
An attorney uses the technique of 'looping' during cross-examination—restating the witness's previous answer as part of the next question. The forensic nurse should:
Answer: Correct any inaccurate restatement of her prior answer before responding
Looping can subtly distort prior testimony; the witness must promptly correct any mischaracterization before answering the new question.
In the context of forensic nursing testimony, 'reasonable degree of medical certainty' means the expert's opinion is:
Answer: More likely true than not, meeting the threshold for expert medical opinion
This phrase indicates that the expert's opinion is held to a probability standard—more likely than not—which is the appropriate threshold for expert medical testimony.
When a forensic nurse is called as a rebuttal witness, her function is to:
Answer: Counter or refute specific testimony offered by the opposing party's witness
Rebuttal witnesses are called specifically to contradict, impeach, or rebut testimony or evidence presented by the opposing side.
A forensic nurse is asked to use a scale model of injuries to illustrate testimony. Before doing so, she must ensure the demonstrative exhibit has been:
Answer: Admitted or accepted by the court as a demonstrative aid
Demonstrative exhibits must be accepted by the court before a witness may use them to illustrate testimony to the jury.
During testimony, a forensic nurse realizes she made an error in a previous answer. The correct action is to:
Answer: Immediately bring the error to the attention of the court and provide the correct information
Accuracy and integrity require that errors be corrected as soon as the witness recognizes them, regardless of timing in the examination.