Which is a common exception to the hearsay rule?

The exception to the hearsay rule known as spontaneous statements, or excited utterance, is recognized due to the nature and immediacy of the situation in which the statement is made. This type of statement is made in a state of excitement or stress, often shortly after an event occurs, which tends to indicate that the speaker is not reflecting on or fabricating the statement, but is rather expressing a genuine reaction to the situation. The principle behind this exception is that there is a high degree of reliability in such statements because they are made without the opportunity for reflection, which diminishes the likelihood of fabrication.

In contrast, while formal confessions of guilt and testimonies under oath can also carry weight in legal proceedings, they are not classified under the exceptions to the hearsay rule. A formal confession typically requires corroborating evidence and may be subject to rules of admissibility based on how it was obtained. Testimonies under oath are generally not classified as exceptions to hearsay because they constitute direct evidence rather than a secondary account, whereas hearsay involves statements that are not presented by the person who made them.

Summaries of other trials tend to be inadmissible as hearsay because they rely on secondhand accounts and are not direct evidence either. They