Indicative Content |
Basic Concepts of Evidence
• Basic Terminology – Factum Probandum and Factum Probans
• Relevance – logical and legal
• Admissibility
• Voir Dire
• Types of Evidence
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Burden & Standard of Proof
• The Burden of Proof
Terminology (the legal burden, the evidential burden and the tactical burden)
Burden in Criminal Cases – The Golden Thread, Presumption of Innocence, Reverse Onus provisions
Burden in Civil Cases
Presumptions (irrebuttable and rebuttable presumptions of law, presumptions of fact, presumptions without basic facts)
• The Standard of Proof
Civil and Criminal Cases
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Witness System 1 - Examination of Witnesses
• Competence and Compellability of Witnesses
• Mode of Evidence - alternatives to 'in-court' testimony
• Course of Evidence
o Examination-in-Chief
Leading Questions
Refreshing Memory
Rule Against Narrative
Doctrine of Recent Complaint
Unfavourable and hostile witnesses
o Cross Examination
Objects of cross examination
Finality of answers to collateral questions
Sexual History of Complainants
o Re-Examination
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Witness System 2 - Corroboration and Cautionary Directions
• Meaning of Corroboration
• Corroboration required as a matter of law
• Mandatory Corroboration Warnings
Confession Evidence
Accomplice evidence
• Discretionary Corroboration Warnings
Evidence of Complainants in Sexual Cases
Evidence of Children
• Sexual Offences - Delay 'Haugh' Warning
• Lucas Warnings
• Identification Evidence
Visual and Voice • Requirement for and extent of Cautionary Warning • Validity of Pre-trial Identification Procedures • Status of DNA evidence
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Opinion Evidence
• Non-Expert Opinion Evidence
• Expert Opinion Evidence - duties of experts, rules governing the use of expert evidence
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SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment
Module Resources
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Recommended Book Resources |
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Heffernan. (2020), Evidence in Criminal Trials, 2nd. 15, Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin.
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Fennell. (2020), The Law of Evidence in Ireland, 4th. 12, Bloomsbury Professional.
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Canon & Neligan. (2003), Evidence, Roundhall.
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Supplementary Book Resources |
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Charleton,McDermott, Herlihy, Byrne. (2020), Criminal Law, 2nd. 27, Bloomsbury Professional, Ireland, p.1200, [ISBN: 9781845922313].
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Matthew Holmes. (2019), Evidence, 1st. Round Hall ELT Series, Ireland, [ISBN: 9780414066359].
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McGrath. (2015), Evidence, 2nd. Ed.. Roundhall.
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Heffernan. (2011), Legal Professional Privilege, Bloomsbury, Dublin.
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Heffernan. (2005), Evidence: Cases & Materials, Roundhall.
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Healy. (2004), Irish Laws of Evidence, Roundhall.
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O’Malley. (2010), The Criminal Process, Roundhall.
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Recommended Article/Paper Resources |
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Lexis Nexis. LNB, Lexis Nexis (LNB) Legal Database
(available through the IT Carlow Library
portal) – provides access to various UK
& Irish Cases (All England Law
Reports, The Irish Reports etc) and UK
Law Journals together with International
Legal Information..
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Westlaw. WestlawIE, Westlaw.ie (available through IT Carlow
Library portal) – provides access to
various Irish case law reports such as
ILRM and ILTR dating back to 1867 and
journals including the Irish Criminal
Law Journal and Irish Law Times.
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Justis. Justis, JustisOne - (available through IT Carlow
Library portal) - provides extensive
access to The Irish Reports and Irish
Digests.
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Other Resources |
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Office of Attorney General. http://www.irishstatutebook.ie and
www.oireachtas.ie, for all relevant Irish legislation.
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Law Reform Commission of Ireland. Lawreform.ie, for Revised Acts of Oireachtas and all
the latest reports and consultation
papers,
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Courts Service of Ireland. Courts.ie, for unreported cases of the Superior
Courts 2002-present,
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BAILII. BAILII.org, for free access to law updates and
leading Irish cases,
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