Which statement is true about Judgment of a Previous Conviction admissibility, in general?

• A. Pendency of an appeal may be shown but does not affect admissibility.
• B. A conviction must be for a capital offense to be admitted.
• C. The judgment must be admitted only for impeachment.
• D. A conviction cannot be admitted if the defendant pleads guilty.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how prior convictions are used to impeach a witness’s credibility. A conviction that has been entered remains admissible for impeachment even if an appeal is pending. The fact that an appeal hasn’t been resolved does not by itself negate the conviction’s relevance for credibility; the appeal status may be noted, but it does not remove the conviction from evidence or automatically bar its use. The weight and finality of the conviction can be discussed with the jury, but admissibility is preserved while awaiting appeal.

Why this is the best choice: it accurately reflects that pending appellate status does not automatically prevent the prior conviction from being used to challenge credibility. The other statements are off note: a capital offense is not required—felonies suffice; the conviction isn’t necessarily admitted only for impeachment (there are circumstances and nuances, but the rule chiefly concerns credibility); and a guilty plea still results in a conviction that can be admitted for impeachment.