Which of the following best describes the term “hearsay” in legal evidence?

The term "hearsay" in legal evidence is best described as statements made outside of court that cannot be used as evidence. Hearsay involves a situation where a witness reports what someone else said, rather than providing direct evidence from their own experience. This type of evidence is deemed unreliable because the original speaker is not present for cross-examination, which is crucial in the legal process for assessing credibility and reliability.

In contrast, options mentioning direct evidence through witnesses, written documents, and testimony given under oath are related to forms of evidence that are generally admissible in court. These forms are characterized by their directness and the ability to be challenged or verified by other means, such as firsthand knowledge or documentation, making them fundamentally different from hearsay. Thus, the essence of hearsay lies in its nature as indirect and typically inadmissible evidence due to concerns over its reliability.