University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law
Criminal Procedure and Evidence (Tripos)
- Sources of the rules of criminal procedure and criminal evidence. The initiation and conduct of prosecutions. Police powers (in outline). Interrogation of suspects. The decision to prosecute. Committal and pre-trial disclosure (including public interest immunity). Abuse of process. The indictment. Pleas. The right of silence. The course of evidence. Anonymous witnesses. Submission of no case. Verdicts. The system of appeals.
- The modes and difficulties of proof and the general principles of the law of evidence in criminal cases. Judicial notice. Relevance. Admissibility. The competence of witnesses, with especial regard to the evidence of children. The examination of witnesses and the course of the trial. Hearsay. Opinion evidence. The burden and standard of proof. Presumptions. Proof of other misconduct. Character evidence. Evidence of identification. Previous consistent and inconsistent statements. Discretion to exclude evidence. Confessions and the implications of defendants’ silence, lies etc. Improperly obtained evidence. Evidence in rebuttal. Functions of judge and jury.
