§ 800 [Lay Witness Opinion Testimony Limitations]

When a regular witness (not an expert) gives their opinion in court, that opinion has to meet certain limits. The witness can only share opinions that are actually allowed under the law.

There are two main requirements. First, the opinion has to come from what the witness personally saw, heard, or otherwise experienced. It can't be based on guesswork or things they heard from someone else. Second, the opinion has to actually help the judge or jury understand the witness's testimony better.

In simple terms, this means everyday witnesses can't just say whatever they think or believe. They can only offer opinions that make sense based on what they directly observed, and only when that opinion helps explain their testimony more clearly. This keeps witnesses focused on facts they actually know, rather than letting them guess, speculate, or act like experts when they aren't.