Which term describes the requirement that a witness's testimony be grounded in the witness's own knowledge and not speculation?

• A. Relevance
• B. Admissibility
• C. Personal knowledge
• D. Competence

Answer: (C)

Personal knowledge is the requirement that a witness testifies about facts they directly perceived or otherwise know firsthand, not about what they guess or speculate about. This keeps testimony grounded in the witness’s own observations and experiences, rather than in inferences drawn from someone else’s information or from mere speculation. For example, a witness may say they saw the defendant run from the scene, but they should not testify about why the defendant ran or what someone else told them about the defendant’s motives. This concept helps ensure the evidence is reliable and based on the witness’s actual perception.