Legal rules and principles governing evidence and proof in American trials

United States v. Platero, 72 F.3d 806, 814-816 (10th Cir. 1995) (reversing conviction for aggravated sexual assault because the trial court's exclusion of evidence of victim's past sexual behavior with another companion violated accused's constitutional rights).The sexual history or predisposition of the alleged victim is admissible if its exclusion would violate a criminal defendant's constitutional rights.

Hayes v. Larsen's Mfg. Co., 871 F. Supp. 56, pin? (D. Me. 1994) (dictum: "In determining the apparent risk in a negligence action, the Court may consider the evidence, or lack thereof, of other similar injuries with respect to the product in question. Such a lack of "evidence...The absence of similar events or accidents has been held to be admissible under the circumstances to show that an event or accident at issue in a trial did not occur.

Rock v. Arkansas, 483 U.S. 44, pin? (1987).A criminal defendant has a federal constitutional right, grounded principally in the Fifth Amendment Privilege against Self-Incrimination, to testify at his or her trial in his or her own defense if the defendant has any relevant testimony to give about his or her guilt or innocence.