Rule 701 Opinion Testimony by Lay Witnesses

When an everyday person (not an expert) testifies in court, they can share their opinion only if it comes from what they personally saw, heard, or experienced. They cannot simply guess or speculate about something they did not directly witness.

The opinion also has to actually help the court understand something important in the case. For example, a neighbor could say "the driver looked drunk" based on what they personally observed, because that kind of firsthand opinion helps the court understand what happened.