In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. The act of providing testimony is to testify. In the law, testimony generally involves a statement of fact or opinion by a witness under oath or affirmation. In religion, testimony generally involves an inward belief or outward profession of faith or of personal religious experience.
Legal testimony
In the law, testimony is a form of evidence that is obtained from a witness who makes a solemn statement or declaration of fact. Testimony may be oral or written, and it is usually made by oath or affirmation under penalty of perjury. Unless a witness is testifying as an expert witness, testimony in the form of opinions or inferences is generally limited to those opinions or inferences that are rationally based on the perceptions of the witness and are helpful to a clear understanding of the witness' testimony.
Religious testimony
In some religions (most notably Mormonism and Islam) many adherents testify as a profession of their faith, often to a congregation of believers. In Mormonism, testifying is also referred to as "bearing one's testimony," and often involves the sharing of personal experience—ranging from a simple anecdote to an account of personal revelation—followed by a statement of belief that has been confirmed by this experience. In addition to outward professions of faith, testimony also may refer to an inwardly-held belief, even if not shared.
Damon van Dam testifies he smoked marijuana in the family garage, and explains to prosecutor Jeff Dusek why he initially lied to investigators.
Van Dam testified he and Easton briefly kissed and "snuggled" in his bed that night while his wife was downstairs.
Brian Blackbourne, the county medical examiner, testified yesterday that no cause of death could be established because the body was so badly decomposed and ravaged by animals.
Ripping the shroud further off one of baseball's dirty secrets, Yankees slugger Jason Giambi testified before a federal grand jury that he used performance-enhancing human growth hormone in 2003 and illegal steroids for at least three seasons, the San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday, citing a transcript of the court proceedings.
The Giambis testified they were told by their supplier that the substances they used were undetectable.
Jason, 33, who signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with the Yankees after the 2001 season, hit.250 in 2003 as he battled a knee injury, and mustered only a.208 average last season as he coped with a purported intestinal parasite and a benign tumor, reportedly in his pituitary gland.
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