Prepared testimony is a form of
testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter.
Etymology
The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness.
...
which is prepared ahead of time, and is then presented verbally or in writing. It is attested as true by the author(s), or given under
oath
Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to g ...
. Typically it is given to a large body or organization. Questions may be posed to the attestor or
witness
In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...
, but the
forum where the testimony is given may not permit this, or it may be impractical, or questioning may be cast implicitly in the form of further testimony by others.
Evidence law
{{law-stub