Williams Rule
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The "Williams Rule" is based on the holding in the FloridaState case of Williams v. State of Florida, 110 So. 2d 654 (Fla., 1959) in which relevant evidence of collateral crimes is admissible at jury trial when it does not go to prove the "bad character" or "criminal propensity" of the defendant but is used to show motive, intent, knowledge, modus operandi, or lack of mistake.
Following cases in the state have moulded and defined the applicability of the Williams rule in criminal cases. Varying standards of "relevance" seem to apply depending on the prong of the rule applied.
The legislature of Florida has also memorialised the Williams Rule in Florida Statute sec. 90.404(2)(a).
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