ADVERSE-INTEREST RULE

adverse-interest rule.The principle that if a party fails to produce a witness who is within its

power to produce and who should have been produced, the judge may instruct the jury to infer that

the  witness’s  evidence  is  unfavorable  to  the  party’s  case.  —  Also  termed  empty-chair  doctrine;

adverse-inference  rule.  [Cases:  Criminal  Law    788;  Evidence    77;  Trial    211.  C.J.S.  Criminal

Law § 1341; Evidence §§ 169–173; Trial §§ 501–504, 568.] [Blacks Law 8th]