hearsay rule

The hearsay rule prevents certain out-of-court statements from being used as evidence in court to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Essentially, it means you generally can't rely on what someone said outside of court to establish facts, because the other party isn't available for cross-examination. The rule exists to ensure fairness and reliability, as evidence must be tested through direct questioning. There are exceptions, but overall, hearsay is excluded to prevent misinformation and preserve the integrity of judicial proceedings.