top of page

Copy of Copy of Copy of WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.png

50 State+ Survey of Evidentiary Rule 701(c)

Gregory Rubelmann
Apr 26
4 min read

Updated: May 5

Rule 701(c) of the Federal Rules of Evidence provides that lay witness opinion testimony can only be heard when it is “not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge.”[1] Although the Federal Rules bind federal courts, states have the discretion to implement their own rules of evidence. As such, the issue is: what courts have adopted Rule 701(c)? Below, you will find all 50 states and territories that utilize federal circuits.

State	Rule 701 Equivalent	Does State Have 701(c)?	Region	Circuit
Alabama	Ala. R. Evid. 701[2]	No	Southeast	11
Alaska	Alaska R. Evid. 701[3]	No	Far West	9
Arizona	Ariz. Code 701[4]	Yes, 701 (c)	Southwest	9
Arkansas	Ark. R. Evid. 701[5]	No	Southeast	8
California	Cal. Evid. Code 800[6]	No	Far West	9
Colorado	Colo. R. Evid. 701[7]	Yes, 701 (c)	Rocky Mountain	10
Connecticut	Conn. Code Evid. § 7-1[8]	No	New England	2
Delaware	Del. Unif. R. Evid. 701[9]	Yes, 701 (c)	Mideast	3
District of Columbia	Fed. R. Evid. 701[10]	Yes, 701 (c)	Mideast	D.C.
Florida	Fla. Stat. § 90.701[11]	Yes, 90.701 (2)	Southeast	11
Georgia	Ga. Code § 24-7-701[12]	Yes, § 24-7-701 (a) (3), although under (b), market value is exempted.	Southeast	11
Hawaii	Haw. R. Evid. 701[13]	No	Far West	9
Idaho	Idaho R. Evid. 701[14]	Yes, 701 (c)	Rocky Mountain	9
Illinois	Ill. R. Evid. 701[15]	Yes, 701 (c)	Great Lakes	7
Indiana	Ind. R. Evid. 701[16]	No	Great Lakes	7
Iowa	Iowa R. Evid. 5.701[17]	Yes, 5.701 (c)	Plains	8
Kansas	Kan. Stat. § 60-456[18]	Yes, § 60-456 (a) (3)	Plains	10
Kentucky	Ky. R. Evid. 701[19]	Yes, 701 (c)	Southeast	6
Louisiana	La. Code Evid. Art. 701[20]	No	Southeast	5
Maine	Me. R. Evid. 701[21]	No	New England	1
Maryland	Md. R. 5-701[22]	No	Mideast	3
Massachusetts	Mass. Evid. L. 701[23]	Yes, 701 (c)	New England	1
Michigan	Mich. R. Evid. 701[24]	Yes, 701 (c)	Great Lakes	6
Minnesota	Minn. R. Evid. 701[25]	Yes, 701 (c)	Plains	8
Mississippi	Miss. R. Evid. 701[26]	Yes, 701 (c)	Southeast	5
Missouri	N/A, Missouri lacks codified rules of evidence[27]	Yes, by definition, lay witness's lack specialized knowledge. "A lay witness is a witness who does not possess technical, scientific, or other specialized knowledge." State v. Bivines, 231 S.W.3d 889, 893 (Mo. App. W.D. 2007)	Plains	8
Montana	Mont. R. Evid. 701[28]	No	Rocky Mountain	9
Nebraska	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-701[29]	No	Plains	8
Nevada	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 50.265[30]	No	Far West	9
New Hampshire	N.H. R. Evid. 701[31]	Yes, 701 (c)	New England	1
New Jersey	N.J. R. Evid. 701[32]	No	Mideast	3
New Mexico	N.M. R. Evid. 11-701[33]	Yes, 11-701 (c)	Southwest	10
New York	Guide to N.Y. Evid. Rule 7.03[34]	No	Mideast	2
North Carolina	N.C. Gen. Stat § 8C-1, Rule 701[35]	No	Southeast	4
North Dakota	N.D. R. Evid. 701[36]	No	Plains	8
Ohio	Ohio R. Evid. 701[37]	No	Great Lakes	6
Oklahoma	Okla. Stat. tit. 12 § 2701[38]	Yes, 2701 (c)	Southwest	10
Oregon	Or. Evid. Code 40.405 Rule 701[39]	No	Far West	9
Pennsylvania	Pa. R. E. 701[40]	Yes, 701 (c)	Mideast	3
Rhode Island	R.I. R. Evid. 701[41]	No	New England	1
South Carolina	S.C. R. Evid. 701[42]	Yes, 701 (c)	Southeast	4
South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 19-19-701[43]	Yes, 19-19-701 (c)	Plains	8
Tennessee	Tenn. R. Evid. 701[44]	No	Southeast	6
Texas	Tex R. Evid. 701[45]	No	Southwest	5
Utah	Utah R. Evid. 701[46]	Yes, 701 (c)	Rocky Mountain	10
Vermont	Vt. R. Evid. 701[47]	Yes, 701 (c)	New England	4
Virginia	Va. R. Evid. 701[48]	No	Southeast	4
Washington	Wash. ER 701[49]	Yes, 701 (c)	Far West	9
West Virginia	W.Va. R. Evid. 701[50]	Yes, 701 (c)	Southeast	4
Wisconsin	Wis. Stat. § 907.01[51]	Yes, 907.01 (3)	Great Lakes	7
Wyoming	Rule 701[52]	No	Rocky Mountain	10
Guam	Guam R. of Evid. Rule 701[53]	Yes, 701 (c)	U.S. Territory	9
Northern Mariana Islands	N. Mar. I. R. of Evid. Rule 701[54]	Yes, 701 (c)	U.S. Territory	9
Puerto Rico	P. R. R. Evid. 701[55]	Yes, 701 (c)	U.S. Territory	1
U.S. Virigin Islands	V.I. R. Evid. 701[56]	Yes, 701 (c)	U.S. Territory	3

Written by: Gregory Rubelmann

[1] Fed. R. Evid. 701(c).

[2] https://judicial.alabama.gov/library/rulesev

[3] https://courts.alaska.gov/rules/docs/ev.pdf

[4] https://www.azcourts.gov/portals/20/ad%20hoc%20evidence%20committee/rulesevidxoutvers.pdf

[5] https://casetext.com/rule/arkansas-court-rules/arkansas-rules-of-evidence (which is pointed to by: https://a.arlawhelp.org/c.php?g=1156681&p=9813024)

[6] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EVID&division=7.&title=&part=&chapter=1.&article=1

[7] https://casetext.com/rule/colorado-court-rules/colorado-rules-of-evidence

[8] https://www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/code2000.pdf

[9] https://courts.delaware.gov/forms/download.aspx?id=39388

[10] https://casetext.com/case/johnson-v-united-states-1449

[11] https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0090/Sections/0090.701.html

[12] https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-24/chapter-7/section-24-7-701/

[13] https://www2.hawaii.edu/~barkai/e/HREH.pdf

[14] https://isc.idaho.gov/ire701

[15] https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/courts-supreme-court-illinois-rules-of-evidence/

[16] https://rules.incourts.gov/Content/evidence/rule701/current.htm

[17] https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ACO/CourtRulesChapter/10-31-2024.5.pdf

[18] https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch60/060_004_0056.html

[19] https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=20401

[20] https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=72505

[21] https://www.courts.maine.gov/rules/text/mr_evid_only_2018-06-29.pdf

[22] https://govt.westlaw.com/mdc/Document/N638C2C609CEB11DB9BCF9DAC28345A2A?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default) (linked to by https://www.mdcourts.gov/lawlib/research/gateway-to-md-law/code-rules-laws-sources)

[23] https://www.mass.gov/guide-to-evidence/article-vii-opinion-and-expert-evidence#section-701-opinion-testimony-by-lay-witnesses

[24] https://www.courts.michigan.gov/498acb/siteassets/rules-instructions-administrative-orders/rules-of-evidence/michigan-rules-of-evidence.pdf

[25] https://www.mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/Appellate/Supreme%20Court/Court%20Rules/Rules-of-evidence.pdf

[26] https://courts.ms.gov/research/rules/msrulesofcourt/Restyled%20Rules%20of%20Evidence.pdf

[27] https://casetext.com/case/state-v-bivines/

[28] https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0260/chapter_0100/part_0070/section_0010/0260-0100-0070-0010.html

[29] https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=27-701

[30] https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-050.html#NRS050Sec265

[31] https://www.courts.nh.gov/rules-evidence

[32] https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/evidence/7

[33] https://casetext.com/rule/new-mexico-court-rules/new-mexico-rules-of-evidence/article-7-opinions-and-expert-testimony/rule-11-701-opinion-testimony-by-lay-witnesses

[34] https://www.nycourts.gov/JUDGES/evidence/7-OPINION/7.03_OPINION%20OF%20LAY%20WITNESS.pdf

[35] https://www.ncleg.gov/Laws/GeneralStatuteSections/Chapter8C

[36] https://www.ndcourts.gov/legal-resources/rules/ndrev/701

[37] https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/docs/LegalResources/Rules/evidence/evidence.pdf

[38] https://casetext.com/statute/oklahoma-statutes/title-12-civil-procedure/chapter-40-oklahoma-evidence-code/article-vii-expert-and-opinion-testimony/section-2701-opinion-testimony-by-lay-witnesses

[39] https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors040.html

[40] https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/225/chapter7/chap7toc.html&d=

[41] https://www.courts.ri.gov/Legal-Resources/Documents/RulesOfEvidence.pdf

[42] https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/evidence/rule-701/

[43] https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/19-19-701

[44] https://www.tncourts.gov/rules/rules-evidence/701

[45] https://txcourts.gov/media/1442383/texas-rules-of-evidence-updated-with-amendments-effective-112018.pdf

[46] https://legacy.utcourts.gov/rules/view.php?type=ure&rule=701

[47] https://casetext.com/rule/vermont-court-rules/vermont-rules-of-evidence/article-vii-opinions-and-expert-testimony/rule-701-opinion-testimony-by-lay-witness

[48] https://www.vacourts.gov/static/courts/scv/rulesofcourt.pdf

[49] https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/pdf/ER/GA_ER_07_01_00.pdf

[50] https://www.courtswv.gov/legal-community/court-rules/rules-evidence-contents#rule701

[51] https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/907/01

[52] https://www.courts.state.wy.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WYOMING_RULES_OF_EVIDENCE.pdf

[53] https://www.guamcourts.org/CompilerofLaws/CourtRules/Rules%20of%20Evidence%20060707.pdf

[54] https://cnmilaw.org/pdf/courtrules/R08.pdf

[55] https://poderjudicial.pr/Documentos/Leyes-Reglamentos/English/Rules-of-Evidence-as-amended.pdf

[56] https://www.vicourts.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=16185792

Recent Posts

Can a witness, knowledgeable in something specific that is also scientific or technical, but not knowing enough to qualify as an expert witness, testify to this as a lay opinion?

The Value of Evidentiary Rule 701(c)

bottom of page