Hostile Witness Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Hostile Witness.

Hostile Witness (noun): This is a person called to testify in a lawsuit on behalf of one side but whose testimony ends up supporting the opposing side instead. The judge rules them as 'hostile' towards the side that originally invited them. This term is often used in court cases where witnesses change their statements, unexpectedly causing harm to the party they were supposed to assist.