What is the role of the declarant?

• A. The person who makes the statement.
• B. The judge.
• C. The witness who testifies only in court.
• D. The attorney presenting evidence.

Answer: (A)

In evidence practice, the declarant is the person who makes the statement that is being offered as evidence, usually outside the courtroom. This matters because the hearsay rules focus on statements made by someone other than the current witness, and the declarant is the source of that assertion whose credibility and the statement’s reliability may affect admissibility. The other roles are distinct: the judge decides admissibility, the in-court witness is someone who testifies about the matter in court, and the attorney presenting evidence is the advocate arguing the case, not the originator of the out-of-court statement. Therefore, the description that fits best is the person who makes the statement.