Murphy on Evidence

Murphy on Evidence is firmly established as a leading text for use on undergraduate law courses and in preparation for professional examinations. Frequently consulted by judges and practitioners, it has come to be regarded as a work of authority throughout the common law world. It bridges the gap between academic and practical treatments of the law of evidence, containing detailed academic analysis of the law alongside a wealth of practical information about how the law is applied in the courtroom. The eleventh edition continues to feature detailed coverage of the seminal decisions of the Court of Appeal, interpreting the hearsay and character evidence provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. It provides a clear analysis of how the law has developed in these crucial areas, and practical observations on how the new rules are being applied by trial courts. The book has been thoroughly updated and deals with many important decisions of the House of Lords and the Court of Appeal since publication of the last edition. There have been significant developments in almost every area of the law. As in previous editions, the author's teaching method is centred around a realistic, though fictitious, criminal case and civil case, presenting challenging evidence issues and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter. Murphy on Evidence first appeared in 1980 under the name A Practical Approach to Evidence, and its success in providing a readable and practical guide to the subject has been widely acknowledged, not only by law teachers and students, but also by the profession. Online Resource Centre An Online Resource Centre, authored by Richard Glover of the University of Wolverhampton, accompanies this book, and features twice-yearly updates to the text, a list of web links and the supporting documents for the two fictitious cases.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction to the law of evidence; 2. The language of the law of evidence; 3. The judicial function in the law of evidence; 4. The burden and standard of proof; 5. Character evidence I: character evidence generally; in civil cases; evidence of good character; 6. Character evidence II: evidence of bad character; 7. The rule against hearsay I: scope and working of the rule; 8. The rule against hearsay II: common law and statutory exceptions; 9. The rule against hearsay III: admissions and evidence; 10. The rule against hearsay IV: the accused's silence and denials; 11. Opinion evidence; 12. Previous judgments as evidence; 13. Public interest immunity and privilege I: public interest immunity; 14. Public interest immunity II: privilege; 15. Witnesses: competence and compellability; oaths and affirmations; 16. Examination in chief; 17. Cross-examination and beyond; 18. Corroboration and suspect witness warnings; 19. Documentary and real evidence; 20. Proof without evidence

About the Author :
Peter Murphy is a Circuit Judge on the South Eastern Circuit. He read law at Cambridge and is a member of the Bars of England, California, and Texas. He is a former Principal Lecturer at the Inns of Court School of Law and has taught and practised at the Bar extensively, both in England and the United States. He was the founding editor-in-chief of Blackstone's Criminal Practice and is the author of Evidence Proof and Facts: A Book of Sources. His books constitute a complete and proven method for the teaching of evidence.