What are the two types of evidence?

• A. Tangible and Intangible
• B. Direct and Indirect
• C. Documentary and Testimonial
• D. Primary and Secondary

Answer: (B)

Direct and indirect evidence are the two main ways evidence proves something in a case. Direct evidence directly shows a fact to be true without needing to infer anything from other facts—think of a witness who saw the crime happen or a recorded confession. Indirect evidence, on the other hand, requires reasoning to connect the dots to a fact; you piece together surrounding factors like being at the scene, possession of stolen items, or fingerprints to infer guilt. Both kinds can be powerful, but the key distinction is whether the fact is proven outright by the evidence itself or must be inferred from a set of circumstances. Other pairings, like documentary and testimonial, describe forms of evidence rather than this fundamental distinction, and primary versus secondary relates to sources or documents rather than the way a fact is proven.