Old Chief v. United States

Old Chief v. United States (1997) is a Supreme Court case that addressed how Federal Rule of Evidence impacts criminal trials. The Court ruled that when a defendant wants to admit evidence showing they are not a criminal history or have good character, the prosecution must accept that evidence if relevant. In this case, the defendant wanted to admit he was not previously convicted of a crime to support his innocence. The Court emphasized that the evidence's probative value should outweigh any unfair prejudice, and the accused’s right to present their case can take precedence over general rules about prior convictions.