Under Rule 404(b), what balancing consideration governs the admission of other crimes or wrongs evidence?

• A. There is no balancing
• B. The probative value must outweigh potential prejudice; balancing required
• C. It always excludes such evidence
• D. The judge decides solely on prejudice

Answer: (B)

Under Rule 404(b), evidence of other crimes or wrongs can be admitted only if its value for proving a permissible purpose (like intent, motive, identity, or plan) outweighs the risk of unfair prejudice. The court must perform a balancing test: weigh how probative the evidence is for a relevant purpose against the danger that jurors will be unfairly biased, confuse the issues, or be misled. If the probative value substantially outweighs the prejudice, the evidence may be admitted (often with limiting instructions). If not, it should be excluded. This reflects that the decision hinges on balancing probative value with potential prejudice, not on an automatic rule of inclusion or exclusion.