In court, who should the officer look at when answering questions?

• A. The judge
• B. The jury
• C. The factfinder
• D. The defendant

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that testimony should be directed toward the person or body that will decide what happened—the factfinder. In trials, that means the decision-maker who will determine the facts: in a jury trial, the jury; in a bench trial, the judge. So when answering questions, the officer should consider and address the factfinder, ensuring the facts are presented clearly to the people who will judge the case. The defendant isn’t the factfinder, and while a judge is the factfinder in a bench trial, he or she isn’t the factfinder in every situation. The jury is the factfinder only in jury trials. That’s why the universal correct choice best captures who should be focused on when answering questions.