Evidence The Adversarial Process

This book aims to provide a self-contained but critical account of the manner in which cases are tried in England and Wales.

Evidence and the Adversarial Process d, an important new text, reflects the latest views and research on evidence and the adversarial process, and identifies new directions and procedures which are bringing the English trial closer to the continental model. The book both reviews the modern law and challenges traditional assumptions; the theory of the trial is measured against the reality.

This is the first volume that directly compares the practices of adversarial and inquisitorial systems of law from a psychological perspective. It aims at understanding why American and European continental systems differ so much, while both systems entertain much support in their communities. The book is written for advanced audiences in psychology and law.

Adversary trial emerged in England in the 18th century. Its origins and significance had tended to go unrecognized by judges, lawyers, jurists, and researchers until relatively modern times. Even now, there is considerable dispute as to how and why adversary trial came into existence, and little connection has been made with the fact that its existence contributed to the genesis of a the modern doctrine of human rights, whereby citizens are able to make a stand against the power of the state or vested interest. Fighting for Justice focuses on the birth and meaning of adversary trial, including the key role of Sir William Garrow. The book assesses how deep-rooted is the notion of opposing parties in the common law and the English psyche generally, and that of countries such as the US that have followed the same pattern whereby legal representatives champion the cause of individuals. The book touches on moves through restorative justice around the world, to alter adversarial systems in favor of a less conflict based approach. Because justice and the rule of law are frequently nowadays under attack, Fighting for Justice will be a valuable aid to understanding the contributions that have been made to the overall development of criminal justice and common law systems.

There is an increasing trend towards greater use of and reliance on expertise to provide the necessary evidence in the fight against crime. Certain forms of expert evidence can be important and powerful tools in crime detection and proof. At the same time expert evidence can be so persuasive that the incorrect use of such evidence could lead to miscarriages of justice. At the interface between criminal justice systems and expert evidence lies the imperative to deal appropriately with expert evidence within a human rights framework. This study shows how three different countries, England and Wales, the Netherlands and South Africa, while upholding different legal traditions, often face similar problems in the realm of expert evidence. These include the often contradictory expectations of law and science respectively, the difficulties associated with the assessment and evaluation of the probative value of expert evidence as well as the problems associated with the integration of expert evidence in the criminal justice process. In the quest for answers to these questions, the author compares the 'hybrid' criminal justice system of South Africa with the 'adversarial' system found in England and Wales and the 'inquisitional' system in the Netherlands. Beginning with an examination of the meaning and nature of expert evidence, the investigation traces the role of expert evidence in pre-trial proceedings; procedural aspects of expert evidence during trial; the ability to challenge expert evidence and culminates with the dilemma of gauging the probative value of the evidence. This book contributes to the international debate about expert evidence. It is a worthy source for lawyers and judges in South Africa, the Netherlands and England and Wales.

Robert Kagan examines the origins and consequences of the American system of "adversarial legalism". This study aims to deepen our understanding of law and its relationship to politics, and raises questions about the future of the American legal system.

Until quite recently it was commonplace to describe the witness as the 'forgotten man' in the criminal justice system. The last few years have seen a dramatic shift in thinking with an increasing recognition of the legitimate expectations and rights of witnesses within the criminal process.At the same time research has drawn attention to a host of factors that conspire to deny the courts access to the best evidence potentially available when so-called vulnerable and intimidated witnesses are called upon to testify in accordance with conventional adversarial trial procedures andmethods.The official response so far embodies an approach best described as one of accommodation. Efforts have centred on improving the treatment of witnesses within the established trial framework while preserving an overall commitment to key tenets of adversarial theory. The latter include the principleof orality with its general insistence upon direct evidence and the use of cross-examination as a device for testing the credibility of witnesses.The central contribution of this book lies in its demonstration of the significant limitations of the prevailing approach, most recently manifest in the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. By providing a broader theoretical framework for understanding the treatment of vulnerable witnessesit signals the need to extend the search for solutions beyond the boundaries of the paradigmatic adversarial model. Drawing upon modern psychological, socio-linguistic, and victimological study across common law jurisdictions, the book provides a systematic critique of the special measures of the1999 Act and of adversarial trial procedure more generally.As a point of contrast the book also explores the contended advantages inherent within inquisitorial style criminal proceedings for witnesses, drawing on the author's own experience of rape proceedings in the Netherlands. Throughout due account is taken of significant recent developments atnational, European, and international levels which have ensured the place victims and witnesses, once excluded, in any discussion of criminal trial fairness.