And how does it eliminate disputes? You're offered a case by case basis with no background story.
A. Rule 404(b) -- Crimes and other isolated acts of bad behavior (not done frequently
enough to be a pattern)
- Prosecutors love to prove that a defendant has a prior criminal record because it effectively
negates the presumption of innocence. Empirical studies show that jurors are willing to give an
accused the benefit of the presumption of innocence only if this is the accused's first offense.
Once he has proved himself to be "a criminal," the jury assumes he is guilty. However, proving
that the defendant has criminal tendencies would seem to be prohibited as character evidence. **