Medical law: leading questions in court: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Medical law: leading questions in court

Sample item

A doctor is giving evidence in a trial. During which stage of examination are leading questions generally permitted without the court's special permission?

AExamination-in-chief by the side that called himBCross-examination by the opposing sideCBoth examination-in-chief and re-examinationDRe-examination by the side that called him

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Cross-examination by the opposing side

A leading question suggests the answer. Such questions are generally not allowed in examination-in-chief or re-examination, except for introductory or undisputed matters, but are allowed in cross-examination, where the aim is to test the witness.

Option by option

A. Examination-in-chief by the side that called him
Leading questions in examination-in-chief are generally disallowed without permission.
B. Cross-examination by the opposing side (correct)
Correct. Cross-examination permits leading questions.
C. Both examination-in-chief and re-examination
Neither of these stages permits leading questions as of right.
D. Re-examination by the side that called him
Re-examination is limited to matters arising from cross-examination and leading questions are not allowed.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Cross-examination by the opposing side. A leading question suggests the answer.

Why is "Examination-in-chief by the side that called him" not the answer?

Leading questions in examination-in-chief are generally disallowed without permission.

Why is "Both examination-in-chief and re-examination" not the answer?

Neither of these stages permits leading questions as of right.

Why is "Re-examination by the side that called him" not the answer?

Re-examination is limited to matters arising from cross-examination and leading questions are not allowed.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical law: leading questions in court in Forensic Medicine. Such questions are generally not allowed in examination-in-chief or re-examination, except for introductory or undisputed matters, but are allowed in cross-examination, where the aim is to test the witness.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Medical law: leading questions in court?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.