Includes index.

Contents: Introduction: The development of the law of evidence -- Principal items of judicial evidence -- Classifications of judicial evidence -- The best evidence rule -- Revelance, admissibility and weight of evidence -- Judicial discretion -- Examples of circumstantial evidence, evidence of identity and res inter alios act a: Examples of circumstantial evidence -- Evidence of identity -- Res inter alios act a -- The functions of the judge and jury: The general rule -- Judicial control of the jury -- The burden of proof: The different burdens -- The incidence of the burden of proof -- The degrees of proof -- Presumptions: Meanings and classification of presumptions -- Four typical presumptions -- V-facts which need not be proved by evidence-judicial notice- formal admissions: Judicial notice -- Formal admissions -- The competence and compellability of witnesses: Historical introduction -- Competence and compellability under the modern law -- Oath, affirmation and unsworn evidence -- Corroboration: When corroboration is required -- The nature of corroboration -- The question of reform in criminal cases -- The course of evidence: Miscellaneous procedural matters -- Examination in chief -- Cross- examination and re- examination -- Impugning credibility -- Privilege: The privilege against self- incrimination -- Legal professional privilege -- Privileges now solely applicable to criminal proceedings -- Privileges solely applicable to civil proceedings -- Public policy: Matters of public interest -- Miscellaneous matters connected with previous litigation -- Illegally obtained evidence -- Estoppel: Estoppel by record -- Estoppel by deed -- Estoppel by conduct -- The place of estoppel in the law -- Evidence of disposition and character: Evidence of the misconduct of the parties on other occasions(or similar fact evidence) -- The previous convictions of the parties -- Evidence of character -- The criminal evidence act 1898: The general effect of the act -- The interpretation of s.i(f) -- Evidence of opinion and judicial findings as evidence of the facts upon which they were based: Evidence of opinion -- Judicial findings as evidence of the facts upon which they were based -- The rule against hearsay -- Hearsay statements in civil proceedings: Part I of the civil evidence act 1968 -- Statements admissible under ss.2 and 3 of the civil evidence act 1968 -- Statements contained in records admissible under ss.4 and 5 of the civil evidence act 1968 -- Statements admissible under s.9 of the civil evidence act 1968 -- Criticisms and comparisons -- Hearsay statements in civil and criminal cases: Statements in public documents -- Admissions -- Hearsay statements (other than those forming part of the res gest ae) in criminal cases: Confessions -- Statements of deceased persons -- Miscellaneous common law exceptions to the hearsay rule -- Statutory exceptions to the hearsay rule -- Proposals of the criminal revision committee -- Documentary evidence of res gest ae -- Documentary of evidence: Proof of the content of a document -- Proof of the execution of private documents -- The admissibility of extrinsic evidence affecting the contents of a document -- Proof of frequently recurring matters