Which is an example of judicial error?

• A. Evidence erroneously admitted or excluded
• B. Lawyer misconduct
• C. Juror misconduct
• D. New evidence not available at the time of the trial

Answer: (A)

Judicial error occurs when the court makes a mistake in applying the law to the facts, including how it handles the rules of evidence. For evidence to be admitted or excluded, the judge must correctly apply those rules and exercise discretion. When that ruling is erroneous—admitting evidence that should be excluded or excluding evidence that should be admitted—it’s a clear example of a judicial mistake that can affect the trial’s outcome.

Lawyer misconduct is conduct by the attorney, not a misstep in the court’s ruling. Juror misconduct involves actions by jurors and is addressed as a separate issue from the judge’s rulings. New evidence not available at trial isn’t an error the judge made during the proceedings; it’s a circumstance that could lead to post-trial relief or a new trial, but it isn’t an example of a ruling error by the court itself.