In the law of evidence character evidence denotes testimony or documents used to prove that a person acted in a particular manner on a particular occasion based on certain traits of his character.
Character evidence may be lead in a court of law through testimony on the reputation of an individual or through evidence on his past misdeeds or through presentation of the opinion of the witness about the character of the concerned person.
Usually character evidence is inadmissible in civil proceedings. However, when a party or witness claims to be honest or peaceful or of noble character, the opposing side can contradict such testimony by leading character evidence to the contrary against him. Character evidence may also be admitted where character of the individual is in issue in the proceeding and is part and parcel of the claim, as in defamation claims.
In criminal trials the defendant can introduce evidence of opinion or reputation concerning him to demonstrate he did or could not commit the offence alleged. In that case to counter the same the prosecution can lead evidence as to his bad character.
In criminal trial of battery charges when the defendant has introduced evidence on the violent character of the alleged crime victim in order to demonstrate that he had acted in self defense, the prosecution may meet this either with evidence of the defendant’s violent character or of peaceful nature of the alleged crime victim.
