When can a witness be impeached for prior inconsistent statements?

A witness can be impeached for prior inconsistent statements while they are testifying because this is the moment when their credibility is being evaluated by the court. Impeachment is a process used to challenge the reliability or truthfulness of a witness's testimony. When a witness is on the stand, any prior inconsistent statements can be introduced to establish that they are not being truthful or consistent in their current testimony, thereby undermining their credibility.

This process allows the opposing party to highlight discrepancies between what the witness said previously and what they are currently asserting. It is an important aspect of the judicial process, as it helps ensure that the testimony presented is credible and reliable. Impeachment based on prior inconsistent statements is a technique used to assess the validity of the witness’s claims while they are actively providing testimony, thus making this timing crucial for effective impeachment.