How is "hearsay" evidence defined?

Hearsay evidence is defined as a statement made outside of court that is offered in court to prove the truth of the matter asserted in that statement. In legal terms, hearsay is generally considered unreliable because the declarant (the person who made the statement) is not present in court to be cross-examined about the statement, and the jury does not have the opportunity to assess the credibility of the statement directly. Therefore, option B accurately captures the essence of hearsay by emphasizing its nature as an out-of-court statement used for the purpose of proving the truth of the content contained within it.

The other choices do not define hearsay correctly. For instance, statements made in court are not hearsay, as they are given under oath and subject to cross-examination. Testimony from expert witnesses, although subject to its own set of rules such as admissibility and relevance, is not classified as hearsay if the witness is present to provide their testimony. Additionally, statements made by defendants during trial would typically be admissible, particularly if they are against their own interests or voluntarily made, thus they do not fall under the definition of hearsay in this context.