Legal Definitions - extraneous question

An extraneous question is a question asked during a legal proceeding, interview, or formal discussion that is irrelevant to the specific matter being considered or decided. It introduces information or seeks details that are outside the scope of the current issue and do not help in resolving the core point.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Courtroom Testimony: Imagine a witness testifying in a criminal trial about an armed robbery. The prosecutor asks the witness, "What color car did you drive to the grocery store last Tuesday?"

  This is an extraneous question because the color of the witness's car on a different day has no bearing on the facts of the robbery that is currently being tried. It does not help determine the defendant's guilt or innocence, nor does it relate to the witness's credibility regarding the robbery itself.

• Job Interview: During an interview for a senior accountant position, the hiring manager asks a candidate, "What is your favorite hobby outside of work?"

  This is an extraneous question in the context of assessing the candidate's qualifications for the accounting role. While it might be used as an icebreaker, it doesn't provide information about their accounting skills, experience, or suitability for the specific job duties. The core point of the interview is to evaluate professional competence.

• Contract Negotiation: Two businesses are negotiating the terms of a software licensing agreement. One party asks the other, "How many years has your CEO been married?"

  This is an extraneous question because the marital status or personal life of a company's CEO is completely unrelated to the technical specifications, pricing, intellectual property rights, or any other clause within a software licensing contract. It does not contribute to reaching a mutually agreeable business deal.