What does rehabilitating a witness entail?

Rehabilitating a witness involves reestablishing their credibility after it has been questioned or challenged during a trial or hearing. When a witness’s reliability comes into doubt—perhaps due to prior inconsistent statements or attacks on their character—rehabilitation seeks to restore confidence in that witness's testimony. This is typically done by introducing additional evidence or testimony that supports the witness's account or demonstrates their competence and reliability.

The process might include corroborating testimony or evidence that aligns with the witness's statements, reinforcing their reliability and helping the jury or judge view them favorably again. The goal is to dispel doubts and strengthen the witness’s position in the eyes of the court.

In contrast, the other options represent actions that do not contribute to this goal. Providing evidence that undermines the witness's credibility conflicts with the idea of rehabilitation, as does removing a witness from the case entirely. Reevaluating the witness’s initial statement may be part of a broader process of assessing credibility, but it does not actively work to restore confidence in the witness’s testimony.