Section 316 | CALCRIM (Jury Instructions)

conflicts. Consider whether the differences are important or not. People
sometimes honestly forget things or make mistakes about what they
remember. Also, two people may witness the same event yet see or hear
it differently.
[If the evidence establishes that a witness’s character for truthfulness has
not been discussed among the people who know him or her, you may
conclude from the lack of discussion that the witness’s character for
truthfulness is good.]
[If you do not believe a witness’s testimony that he or she no longer
remembers something, that testimony is inconsistent with the witness’s
earlier statement on that subject.]
[If you decide that a witness deliberately lied about something significant
in this case, you should consider not believing anything that witness says.
Or, if you think the witness lied about some things, but told the truth
about others, you may simply accept the part that you think is true and
ignore the rest.]
New January 2006; Revised June 2007, April 2008, September 2020
BENCH NOTES
Instructional Duty
The court has a sua sponte duty to instruct on factors relevant to a witness’s
credibility. (People v. Rincon-Pineda (1975) 14 Cal.3d 864, 883–884 [123 Cal.Rptr.
119, 538 P.2d 247].) Although there is no sua sponte duty to instruct on
inconsistencies in testimony or a witness who lies, there is authority approving
instruction on both topics. (Dodds v. Stellar (1946) 77 Cal.App.2d 411, 426 [175
P.2d 607]; People v. Murillo (1996) 47 Cal.App.4th 1104, 1107 [55 Cal.Rptr.2d 21].)
The court may strike any of the enumerated impermissible bases for bias that are
clearly inapplicable in a given case.
Give all of the bracketed factors that are relevant based on the evidence. (Evid.
Code, § 780(e), (i), and (k).)
Give any of the final three bracketed paragraphs if relevant based on the evidence.
If the court instructs on a prior felony conviction or prior misconduct admitted
pursuant to People v. Wheeler (1992) 4 Cal.4th 284 [14 Cal.Rptr.2d 418, 841 P.2d
938], the court should consider whether to give CALCRIM No. 316, Additional
Instructions on Witness Credibility—Other Conduct. (See Bench Notes to that
instruction.)
AUTHORITY
•
Factors. Evid. Code, § 780; People v. Rincon-Pineda (1975) 14 Cal.3d 864,
883–884 [123 Cal.Rptr. 119, 538 P.2d 247].
•
Inconsistencies. Dodds v. Stellar (1946) 77 Cal.App.2d 411, 426 [175 P.2d 607].
POST-TRIAL: INTRODUCTORY
CALCRIM No. 226
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Cal.4th 1040, 1051–1052 [16 Cal.Rptr.3d 880, 94 P.3d 1080].
•
Felony Conviction Admissible for Impeachment. Evid. Code, § 788.
•
Standard for Admitting Felony Conviction. People v. Castro (1985) 38 Cal.3d
301, 306–319 [211 Cal.Rptr. 719, 696 P.2d 111]; People v. Beagle (1972) 6
Cal.3d 441, 451–452 [99 Cal.Rptr. 313, 492 P.2d 1].
•
Misdemeanor Conduct Admissible for Impeachment. People v. Wheeler (1992) 4
Cal.4th 284, 295–296 [14 Cal.Rptr.2d 418, 841 P.2d 938].
•
Record Must Demonstrate Court Conducted Evid. Code, § 352 Weighing. People
v. Navarez (1985) 169 Cal.App.3d 9