Excited utterance refers to which description?

• A. A statement about a startling event made while emotionally excited.
• B. A statement made after calm reflection.
• C. A statement of opinion about the event.
• D. A statement that is in writing.

Answer: (A)

Excited utterance is a hearsay exception in evidence law: a statement relating to a startling event made while the declarant was under the stress of excitement caused by the event. This description fits because the key factors are the relation to a startling event and the spontaneous, emotionally charged state of the speaker at the time, which helps assure reliability.

The other ideas don’t fit: a statement made after calm reflection lacks the spontaneity that characterizes excited utterances; a statement of opinion about the event isn’t necessarily tied to the event itself or the speaker’s stressed state; and being in writing isn’t a defining feature of excited utterances, which are typically spoken and made while still under the impact of the event.