Rule 105 Limiting Evidence That Is Not Admissible Against Other Parties or for Other Purposes

Sometimes evidence can be used for one reason but not another, or against one person but not someone else in the same case. For example, a statement might be allowed to show a witness changed their story, but not allowed as proof that what they said is actually true. Or evidence might be fair to use against one defendant but not another defendant being tried in the same case.

When this happens, the judge has a job to do. If someone asks in time, the judge must tell the jury exactly how they can and cannot use that piece of evidence. This keeps the jury from misusing the evidence or applying it too broadly.

The key part of this rule is that it only kicks in when someone actually asks for the limit. If no one requests it, the judge does not have to bring it up on their own. So lawyers need to speak up quickly if they want the jury to get these instructions.