What Does Exculpatory Evidence Mean?

Exculpatory evidence is evidence favorable to the defendant in a criminal trial that exonerates or tends to exonerate the defendant of guilt. It is the opposite of inculpatory evidence, which tends to present guilt.

What are examples of exculpatory evidence?

Examples of exculpatory evidence include an alibi, such as witness testimony that a defendant was somewhere else when the crime occurred. Exculpatory evidence might include proof that the defendant stayed in a hotel too far away from the crime scene to have committed the crime.

What does exculpatory mean in law?

Information that increases a defendant's probability of innocence or absolutely relieves them of liability. Often used to describe evidence in a criminal trial that justifies, excuses, or creates reasonable doubt about a defendant's alleged actions or intentions.