During a trial, can a defendant call a witness to testify about their own honesty?

The correct choice is that a defendant can call a witness to testify as to the defendant's reputation for honesty. In the context of trials, character evidence can be a sensitive topic, governed by specific rules. Generally, character evidence is not admissible to show that a person acted in conformity with their character on a particular occasion; however, there is an exception when a party, like a defendant, wants to present evidence of their character.

When a defendant calls a witness to provide testimony about their reputation for honesty, the witness can speak to how the defendant is perceived in their community, particularly in terms of their integrity and trustworthiness. This form of character evidence is permissible because it does not focus on the defendant’s specific actions but rather on how others see their character overall.

This contrasts with the options that propose tests of personal honesty or need for corroboration. Testifying about personal honesty involves an individual's direct assertions, which is not typically allowed unless the testimony concerns reputation. Additionally, while there are nuances in the rules about character evidence, corroboration of character evidence is not a requirement when dealing with reputation testimonies. Thus, the response appropriately indicates the accepted practice in legal proceedings regarding character evidence related to a defendant's reputation for honesty.