When a lawyer questions their own witness at a civil or criminal trial is called direct examination
Direct examination is designed to ask direct questions that call for direct answers. Nothing in the direct examination needs to be inferred or assumed for the witness to answer the question.
On direct, the lawyer is prohibited from asking leading questions. However, the law has carved out an exception to the above rule. Should the lawyer call their own witness for direct examination, and the witness turns out to be a hostile witness, the court may allow the lawyer to ask leading questions of the witness.
