Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: patient–physician privilege
A percipient witness is someone who saw or heard something happen and can tell others about it. They might be asked to go to court and talk about what they saw or heard.
percipient witness
A percipient witness is someone who has personally experienced an event through their senses, such as seeing or hearing it. They are often called upon to testify in court about what they witnessed.
An example of a percipient witness would be someone who saw a car accident happen and can describe what they saw to the police or in court. Another example would be someone who heard a gunshot and can testify about what they heard.
These examples illustrate the definition because in both cases, the witness directly experienced the event through their senses. They are able to provide firsthand information about what happened, which can be important in legal proceedings.