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direct examination
noun
: the first examination of a witness by the party calling the witness compare cross-examination
Examples of direct examination in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This trial involved my first direct examination of a Deputy Chief Medical Examiner.
—Woody Clermont, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2024
After direct examination of Pecker concluded, Trump lawyer Emil Bove began cross-examining the magazine publisher.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024
The jury listened inside the courtroom to audio of the direct examination portion of the testimony for a little over an hour before a brief recess.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2024
Thursday marks the third day of Pecker's direct examination by prosecutors and comes as members of Trump's legal team head to the Supreme Court to argue in favor of the former president's claim of presidential immunity.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1859, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of direct examination was
circa 1859
Dictionary Entries Near direct examination
Cite this Entry
“Direct examination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/direct%20examination. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Legal Definition
direct examination
noun
: the first examination of a witness by the party calling the witness compare cross-examination, redirect examination
Note: As a general rule, leading questions are not allowed on direct examination, but there are exceptions, as when the witness is shown to be hostile.
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