Missouri Constitution Article I Sec. 18(c) – Admissibility of evidence
[In order to assert our rights, acknowledge our duties, and proclaim the principles on which our government is founded, we declare:]
Terms Used In Missouri Constitution Article I Sec. 18(c) - Admissibility of evidence
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 17 and 18(a) of this Article to the contrary, in prosecutions for crimes of a sexual nature involving a victim under eighteen years of age, relevant evidence of prior criminal acts, whether charged or uncharged, is admissible for the purpose of corroborating the victim’s testimony or demonstrating the defendant‘s propensity to commit the crime with which he or she is presently charged. The court may exclude relevant evidence of prior criminal acts if the probative value of the evidence is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.