What is the best definition of "admissible evidence"?

Admissible evidence refers to evidence that is allowed to be considered by the judge or jury in a legal proceeding. This evidence must meet certain legal standards, primarily focusing on relevance and not being subject to exclusion for reasons such as being obtained unlawfully or being hearsay.

In this context, defining admissible evidence as relevant evidence to a proceeding that has not been excluded by a judge captures the essence of what makes evidence permissible in the court. It emphasizes that the evidence not only needs to be relevant to the case at hand but must also pass the scrutiny of legal standards to ensure it can contribute to the decision-making process in the trial.

Relevance is crucial; evidence must pertain directly to the issues at play in the legal matter. Furthermore, judges have the authority to exclude evidence based on various rules and considerations, ensuring a fair trial and preventing prejudicial information from skewing the proceedings. Different types of evidence may be excluded for various reasons, such as improper collection methods, which is why simply being relevant does not automatically grant admissibility.

Other choices mischaracterize admissible evidence. For instance, evidence that the defense wishes to have tossed would not define admissibility and is based on strategic interests rather than legal standards. The best evidence rule pertains