What are the two types of immunity?

What are the two types of immunity?

• A. transactional and testimonial
• B. criminal and civil
• C. absolute and conditional
• D. general and limited

Answer: (A)

Two types of immunity protect witnesses in exchange for giving testimony: transactional immunity and testimonial immunity. Transactional immunity bars the government from prosecuting the witness for offenses related to the immunized transaction—the shield covers all charges tied to that subject matter, regardless of other evidence. Testimonial immunity, sometimes called use or derivative-use immunity, prevents the prosecutor from using the compelled testimony itself—or any evidence derived from it—to prosecute the witness. However, under testimonial immunity, the witness can still be prosecuted for offenses that aren’t tied to the immunized testimony if there’s independent evidence. In practice, these two forms are the standard framework for immunity in this context, which is why the option listing transactional and testimonial is correct. The other pairings describe different legal concepts, not this immunity framework.

Two types of immunity protect witnesses in exchange for giving testimony: transactional immunity and testimonial immunity. Transactional immunity bars the government from prosecuting the witness for offenses related to the immunized transaction—the shield covers all charges tied to that subject matter, regardless of other evidence. Testimonial immunity, sometimes called use or derivative-use immunity, prevents the prosecutor from using the compelled testimony itself—or any evidence derived from it—to prosecute the witness. However, under testimonial immunity, the witness can still be prosecuted for offenses that aren’t tied to the immunized testimony if there’s independent evidence.

In practice, these two forms are the standard framework for immunity in this context, which is why the option listing transactional and testimonial is correct. The other pairings describe different legal concepts, not this immunity framework.