witness reliability

Witness reliability refers to how accurately and consistently a person's account reflects what actually happened. It depends on factors like the witness’s memory, honesty, perception, and ability to observe details. Human memory can be fallible, influenced by stress, time, or misinterpretation. Therefore, reliable witnesses provide honest, detailed, and consistent testimony that closely aligns with facts, but their accounts may still be affected by unintentional errors. Courts consider reliability alongside other evidence to assess the credibility of a witness’s testimony.