What is the difference between competence and credibility?

What is the difference between competence and credibility?

• A. Competence relates to trustworthiness; credibility relates to qualifications.
• B. Competence relates to cross-examination ability; credibility relates to demeanor.
• C. Competence relates to qualifications and lack of disqualifications; credibility relates to the trustworthiness of testimony.
• D. They are the same.

Answer: (C)

The difference is that competence concerns whether a witness is legally allowed to testify at all, focusing on their qualifications and the absence of disqualifications (like lacking the legal capacity or any bar to testifying). Credibility, on the other hand, is about how trustworthy or believable the testimony is once a witness has been allowed to testify. So, a witness can be competent but not credible, and vice versa. For example, someone may meet all the qualifications to testify but their story might be unreliable due to memory gaps, bias, or deception. The statement that captures this distinction correctly says competence relates to qualifications and lack of disqualifications, while credibility relates to the trustworthiness of the testimony.

The difference is that competence concerns whether a witness is legally allowed to testify at all, focusing on their qualifications and the absence of disqualifications (like lacking the legal capacity or any bar to testifying). Credibility, on the other hand, is about how trustworthy or believable the testimony is once a witness has been allowed to testify.

So, a witness can be competent but not credible, and vice versa. For example, someone may meet all the qualifications to testify but their story might be unreliable due to memory gaps, bias, or deception. The statement that captures this distinction correctly says competence relates to qualifications and lack of disqualifications, while credibility relates to the trustworthiness of the testimony.