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Full-Text Articles in Evidence

Evidence In International Criminal Trials: Lessons And Contributions From The Special Court For Sierra Leone, Patrick Matthew Hassan-Morlai Nov 2009

Evidence In International Criminal Trials: Lessons And Contributions From The Special Court For Sierra Leone, Patrick Matthew Hassan-Morlai

Patrick Matthew Hassan-Morlai

The general aim of this paper is to contribute to the discourse on the development of a system of international criminal justice. In so doing, this paper will pay attention to one aspect – rules of evidence – and examine its role in ensuring the rights to fair trial. The examination is limited to discussing offences relating to the jurisdiction ratione materiae of the SCSL contained in Articles 2-5 of the SCSL Statute.


Probability, Policy And The Problem Of Reference Class, Robert J. Rhee Jul 2009

Probability, Policy And The Problem Of Reference Class, Robert J. Rhee

Robert Rhee

This short paper focuses on the problem of reference class in evidentiary assessment as it relates to probability and weight of evidence. The reluctance to inject mathematical formalism into the factfinding function is justified. Objective probability requires a reference class from which a proportion is derived. Probability assessments change with the reference class. If a proposition is subject to proportional comparison against two or more different references, their selection is often an inductive process. The advantage of objectivity and methodological rigor is illusory. A legal dispute is the search for a plausible understanding of the truth, and an overtly mathematized …


Electronically Stored Information: A Primer For Litigators, Jules Epstein Jan 2009

Electronically Stored Information: A Primer For Litigators, Jules Epstein

Jules Epstein

No abstract provided.


Counsel And Confrontation, Todd E. Pettys Jan 2009

Counsel And Confrontation, Todd E. Pettys

Todd E. Pettys

Responding to the Court’s recent reworking of its confrontation jurisprudence, I argue that, under the Anglo-American common-law principles that the Confrontation Clause now incorporates, defendants are not entitled to an attorney’s assistance when interrogating witnesses prior to trial. Although the Assistance of Counsel Clause and the Due Process Clauses will pick up the slack in many cases, I contend that there are other instances in which the Constitution now leaves unrepresented defendants responsible for cross-examining witnesses on their own. I suggest that legislative reform may be necessary to ameliorate the new constitutional landscape’s deficiencies.


The Death Of The American Trial, Robert Burns Dec 2008

The Death Of The American Trial, Robert Burns

Robert P. Burns

This book analyzes and criticizes the loss of one of the great achievements of our public culture, the American trial.


Fair Process And Fair Play: Professionally Responsible Cross-Examination, John F. Nivala Dec 2008

Fair Process And Fair Play: Professionally Responsible Cross-Examination, John F. Nivala

John F. Nivala

No abstract provided.


Neuroscience, Law & Government: Foreword To The Symposium, Jane Moriarty Dec 2008

Neuroscience, Law & Government: Foreword To The Symposium, Jane Moriarty

Jane Campbell Moriarty

The legal and legislative systems have begun to rely on neuroscience in various types of decision-making. Without question, the relationship between the disciplines will become more enmeshed as more data is generated by neuroscientists. Are we ready for this potential sea change that will be both rich and strange?


Visions Of Deception: Neuroimaging And The Search For Evidential Truth, Jane Moriarty Dec 2008

Visions Of Deception: Neuroimaging And The Search For Evidential Truth, Jane Moriarty

Jane Campbell Moriarty

The use of science in the search for truth poses consistent evidentiary problems of definition, causation, validity, accuracy, inferential conclusions unsupported by data, and real-world complications. And these evidentiary problems may well be implicated in the forensic use of neuroimages of deception. This article first briefly describes the various types of neuroimaging used to detect deception and describes some of the specific criticisms that have been leveled at the science. Second, the article outlines the standards governing admissibility and explains why the research to date does not yet meet any recognized standards of admissibility. Third, and finally, the article suggests …