Evidence

Quick Info
(2490.04)  Course
Instructor(s)
O. Goddard & S. Walker; Adjunct Professors
Winter
4 credit(s)  4 hour(s);
Presentation
Lecture, discussion
Upper Year Research & Writing Requirement
No
Praxicum
No

This course is an introduction to the law of evidence. What is evidence? When is evidence admissible? How does it get admitted? In this course, we will learn about the specific rules that apply to many categories of evidence, like hearsay, expert opinions, and privilege. But we will also learn about the general principles that inform the overall structure of our rules of evidence, and the common sense assumptions that underlie them. We will see what happens to the rules when those assumptions are challenged or proven untrue, the role Parliament has played in efforts to reform the rules of evidence, and the balance the court has struck between competing interests in light of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Method of Evaluation: The evaluation method will be a 100% final exam and an optional paper assignment that will be worth 40% of the final grade for students who choose to write it.