Rule 610. Religious Beliefs or Opinions

Evidence of a witness's religious beliefs or opinions is not admissible to attack or support the witness's credibility.

Committee Notes

Maine Restyling Note [November 2014] Maine Rule 610 and Federal Rule 610 are substantively identical, and therefore the Advisory Committee recommends adoption of the language of the restyled Federal Rule.

Federal Restyling Committee Note The language of Rule 610 has been amended as part of the restyling of the Evidence Rules to make them more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules. These changes are intended to be stylistic only. There is no intent to change any result in any ruling on evidence admissibility.

Advisers' Note to former M.R. Evid. 610 (February 2, 1976) This rule is directly contrary to 16 M.R.S.A. § 55, which allows a person's religious belief to be shown to affect his credibility. The statute traces back to P.L. 1847, c. 34, which was a substitute for P.L. 1833, c. 58. The earlier statute made a person who did not believe in a Supreme Being incompetent as a witness. In doing away with the incompetency rule the legislature made the concession with respect to impeachment. The present statute is in fact a dead letter and it should be done away with.