The Practical Guide To Evidence In Criminal Cases

The second edition of this widely acclaimed book maintains the author's original objective: to provide a clear and readable account of evidence law, which acknowledges the importance of arguments about facts and principles as well as rules. It is written

Practical Guide to Evidence provides a clear and readable account of the law of evidence, acknowledging the importance of arguments about facts and principles as well as rules. This fifth edition has been revised and updated to address recent changes in the law and debates on controversial topics such as surveillance and human rights. Coverage of expert evidence has also been expanded to include forensic evidence, bringing the text right up-to-date. Including enhanced pedagogical support such as chapter summaries, further reading advice and self-test exercises, this leading textbook can be used on both undergraduate and professional courses.

This book takes the practitioner through all stages of the process from initial identification of the need for expert evidence, through to maximising the benefit of this evidence at trial.

The law of evidence underlies the whole practice of law in every field involved in litigation. This book is constructed around the facts of a fictitious, but not unrealistic case and the issues which it raises. This fourth edition covers the changes made by the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

Practical Guide to Evidence provides a clear and readable account of the law of evidence, acknowledging the importance of arguments about facts and principles as well as rules. The fourth edition has been revised and updated to address the radical changes brought about by the Criminal Justice Act 2003, particularly in relation to hearsay, character evidence and opinion evidence and to expand coverage of the Human Rights Act 1998. Particular attention is given to changes made by the revised Codes of Practice, and to the growing body of case law on topics such as reverse burden of proof, the cross-examination of rape victims, evidence obtained by entrapment, and silence in the face of police questioning. Now including enhanced pedagogical support such as chapter summaries, further reading advice and boxed examples, this leading textbook can be used on both undergraduate and professional courses.

Designed to cover each stage of the process, from identifying bad character, getting it past the gateways, and directing the jury on its use, 'A Practical Guide to Bad Character Evidence' is your one-stop reference text when prosecuting and defending criminal trials in England and Wales. It separates the theory from the reality, providing examples and common-sense guidance on the scope and limitations of the use of bad character evidence. Since bad character evidence pervades the trial process, sometimes in unexpected ways, it is vital that practitioners have an understanding of the up-to-date legal position and how it works in practice. Each chapter focuses on a different stage or concept, breaking down the legislative tests and distilling the key cases in a clear and structured way. Chapters contain handy sub-headings to facilitate quick lookup, and the user is guided to other relevant headings and cases that will assist. There is also an index of cases to help with ready navigation. CONTENTS Chapter 1 - Introduction Chapter 2 - What Is Bad Character Evidence Chapter 3 - Section 100 Non-Defendant Bad Character Chapter 4 - Section 101 Defendant Bad Character Chapter 5 - Exclusions Chapter 6 - Jury Directions and Standard of Proof Chapter 7 - Conclusion