Which scenario qualifies as an exception to the general prohibition on leading questions on direct?

• A. When the court prohibits all questions
• B. When the witness is a child
• C. When the court allows a short, controlling question to introduce a matter
• D. When the witness is uncooperative

Answer: (C)

On direct examination you want the witness to tell the story in their own words, so questions that suggest the answer are normally not allowed. The only sanctioned exception is when the court explicitly allows a short, controlling question to introduce a matter. This brief lead helps set up a topic the witness would then describe in their own terms, rather than shaping the entire testimony.

For example, a lawyer might be permitted to ask a very brief question to establish a key point—such as timing or identification—and then immediately switch to open-ended questions that elicit the witness’s narrative. The judge’s permission is essential, and the question must be brief and narrowly focused to introduce the matter.

The other scenarios aren’t the recognized exception: prohibiting all questions would stop the examination; treating a child witness as a special rule doesn’t authorize broad leading on direct and is governed by separate kid-specific safeguards; and an uncooperative witness is typically handled under different procedures or by treating the witness as hostile in appropriate contexts, not by a default allowance of leading questions on direct.