Purposes, functions, and limits of proof and the law of evidence

Fed. R. Evid. 403.Evidence of untruthfulness may be excluded as unduly prejudicial under the standards laid down in rules such as the federal "undue prejudice" rule codified by Federal Rule of Evidence 403. However, if specific rules governing impeachment call for the use of different prejudice standards, the standards set forth in those specific rules govern rather than the standards set forth in a general undue prejudice rule such as Federal Rule of Evidence 403.

Bowden v. McKenna, 600 F.2d 282, 285-286 (1st Cir. 1979) ("fifty pages of side-bar discussion" of admissibility held sufficient).A party objecting to an offer of evidence need not state the ground of its objection if the ground of the objection is already apparent.

Cf. United States v. Pirovolos, 844 F.2d 415, 422-423 (7th Cir. 1988) (upholding trial court's ruling which allowed government's questions on the presence of other weapons at accused's restaurant; held, "when accused chose to rely on self-defense as an affirmative defense, he placed his intent in...If a criminal defendant offers evidence of his or her character circumstantially - to show he or she did not commit the crime charged -- the prosecution can offer rebutting evidence of defendant's character.