Evidence is anything that tends to prove or disprove a material or relevant fact alleged in a lawsuit or other legal proceeding. Witness testimony, documents, contracts, email messages, photographs, medical bills, video images, and voice recordings are common pieces of evidence.
In New Hampshire, evidence is regulated by both state statutes and rules of court, specifically the New Hampshire Rules of Evidence. These rules govern the admissibility of evidence in legal proceedings, including trials and hearings, in state courts. Evidence must be relevant to be admissible, meaning it must have any tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence, and the fact must be of consequence in determining the action. Common forms of evidence include witness testimony, documents, contracts, email messages, photographs, medical bills, video images, and voice recordings. The rules also address the reliability and credibility of evidence, as well as exceptions to the general rules of admissibility, such as privilege or hearsay. The goal of these rules is to ensure that the evidence presented is fair and reliable, and that legal proceedings are conducted with justice and efficiency.