This chapter, which focuses on hearsay evidence and its relationship to confessions, first considers the rule against hearsay and its application to out-of-court statements of witnesses in civil and criminal cases. It then looks at statements, both oral and written, and gestures, as well as the admissibility of hearsay in criminal proceedings under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) 2003 and, in outline, in civil proceedings under the Civil Evidence Act (CEA) 1995. The survival of some common law rules on hearsay is discussed. The chapter also explains the legal distinction between first-hand (what X told Y) and multiple hearsay (what X told Y who told Z). It concludes by discussing the landmark decisions under Art 6(3)(d) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
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This chapter, which focuses on opinion evidence in criminal and civil cases in the UK, explains the rule on the admissibility of opinion evidence, largely expert opinion. The notice and disclosure rules in criminal cases under the Criminal Procedure Rules (CPR) are outlined. The criteria for the admissibility of expert evidence, the responsibilities of expert witnesses, and the approach of the courts to new areas of expertise are examined in detail. It also considers the presentation of expert evidence, including the use of court-appointed experts, in civil cases under the CPR, and, finally, examines the ultimate issue rule, which has been abolished by s33(1) of the Civil Evidence Act (CEA) 1972.
Chapter
This chapter discusses the hearsay rule in the context of civil proceedings. It begins with a consideration of Section 1 of the Civil Evidence Act 1995 (CEA). Doubts have been raised as to whether the Act is compatible with the ECHR, and on any basis, there are procedural differences between the methods of adducing different forms of hearsay under the provisions of the act. Consideration of the effect of the act in changing the law thus constitutes the first, and more important, section of this chapter. The chapter then turns to how the provisions of the act indicate that some of the existing rules relating to the admissibility of hearsay in civil proceedings remain in force.
