NCJ Number
86860
Date Published
1983
Length
462 pages
Annotation
This text explores all of the important evidentiary rules that apply to criminal cases, featuring the use of plain English and avoidance of legal jargon to facilitate understanding of the material by the law student and the nonlawyer.
Abstract
Liberal use of case analyses and sample examinations and cross-examinations make even the most technical aspects of evidentiary rules clear. Major topics addressed in the text include the hearsay rule and its exceptions, an introduction to legal materials, basic constitutional principles, relevance, the privilege against self-incrimination, identification confrontations, searches and seizures, and confessions. Also discussed are testimonial privileges, photographic evidence, forensic pathology, questioned documents, and spectrographic voice identification. Although the emphasis is on the applicability of the rules in criminal matters, the book provides an overview of the evidentiary principles applicable in civil litigation as well. An index and about 450 references are provided. (Author summary modified)