NCJ Number
160327
Date Published
1995
Length
565 pages
Annotation
Written by a judge in a British circuit court and directed to attorneys, judges, police, students, and teachers, this volume presents and explains the law and rules of evidence in Great Britain's criminal courts.
Abstract
An overview discusses the meaning and classification of evidence, the best evidence rule, admissibility, and relevance. Additional chapters focus on real evidence, including chattels, documents, photographs, tape recordings, video recordings, and automatic recordings; the meaning and classification of private, public, and judicial documents; the burden and standard of proof; and proof where evidence is not necessary. Further sections focus on exclusionary rules and exceptions, including statutory provisions, the admission of similar fact evidence, the character of the defendant and witnesses, evidence of opinion, hearsay, confessions, statutory exceptions to hearsay connected with documents, the discretion to exclude evidence, privilege, and public interest. Other chapters focus on rules connected with the trial, including the functions of the judge, the jury, and justices; identification; competence and compellability of witnesses; disclosure and calling of evidence; examination of evidence; corroboration; and the evidence of suspect witnesses. Footnotes, table of cases, index, and appended text of law