"The bill permits the admission of any relevant evidence concerning the victim's sexual history, while preventing the jury from hearing irrelevant or potentially prejudicial evidence."

He stressed that defendants must also sit through months of prejudicial evidence unrelated to them.

That would permit the withdrawal of a jury when necessary to keep it from hearing prejudicial evidence.

Judge Colman agreed and said the state had other, less prejudicial evidence, including witness accounts, to support their case.

In high-profile cases in particular, judges must often decide whether to isolate jurors from any possible exposure to potentially prejudicial evidence, some of which may be false or inadmissible.

"You called this extraordinary session because you claim you have real evidence prejudicial to this Bill."

Mr. Muhammad's lawyers clearly have such an appeal in mind when they repeatedly place their objections about prejudicial evidence into the record.

The court reaffirmed that there are adequate other mechanisms present in the Rules to ensure that overly prejudicial evidence does not reach the jury.

On 24 August 2012, the High Court unanimously allowed the appeal and quashed Patel's convictions on the ground that prejudicial evidence had likely influenced the jury.

"And although the judge tied the hands of the defense, he gave the government free rein to put in irrelevant but prejudicial evidence."