Civil Trials Bench Book
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Evidence
Evidence introduction
[4-0000]
Interpretation
Relevance
[4-0200]
Relevant evidence — s 55
[4-0210]
Relevant evidence to be admissible — s 56
[4-0220]
Provisional relevance — s 57
[4-0230]
Inferences as to relevance — s 58
Hearsay
The hearsay rule — Pt 3.2 Div 1 (ss 59–61)
[4-0300]
The hearsay rule — s 59; exception: evidence relevant for a non-hearsay purpose — s 60
[4-0310]
Exceptions to the hearsay rule dependent on competency — s 61
[4-0320]
Restriction to “first-hand” hearsay — s 62
[4-0330]
Exception: civil proceedings if maker not available — s 63
[4-0340]
Exception: civil proceedings if maker available — s 64
[4-0350]
Exception: criminal proceedings if maker not available — s 65
[4-0360]
Exception: criminal proceedings if maker available — s 66
[4-0365]
Exception: contemporaneous statements about a person’s health etc — s 66A
[4-0370]
Notice to be given — s 67
[4-0380]
Objections to tender of hearsay evidence in civil proceedings if maker available — s 68
[4-0390]
Exception: business records — s 69
[4-0400]
Exception: contents of tags, labels and writing — s 70
[4-0410]
Exception: telecommunications — s 71
[4-0420]
Exception: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional laws and customs — s 72
[4-0430]
Exception: reputation as to relationships and age — s 73
[4-0440]
Exception: reputation of public or general rights — s 74
[4-0450]
Interlocutory proceedings — s 75
[4-0455]
Hearsay statements to explain delay — full weight to be given
[4-0460]
Hearsay — Discretionary and Mandatory exclusions — Pt 3.11, ss 135–139
Opinion
[4-0600]
The opinion rule — s 76
[4-0610]
Exception: evidence relevant otherwise as opinion evidence — s 77
[4-0620]
Exception: lay opinions — s 78
[4-0625]
Exception: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional laws and customs — s 78A
[4-0630]
Exception: opinions based on specialised knowledge — s 79(1)
[4-0635]
Specialised knowledge of child development and behaviour: s 79(2)
[4-0640]
Ultimate issue and common knowledge rules abolished — s 80
[4-0650]
Time limit on notice
Admissions
[4-0800]
General definitions
[4-0810]
Hearsay and opinion rules: exception for admissions and related representations — s 81
[4-0820]
Exclusion of evidence of admissions that is not first-hand — s 82
[4-0830]
Exclusion of evidence of admissions as against third parties — s 83
[4-0840]
Exclusion of admissions influenced by violence and certain other conduct — s 84
[4-0850]
Criminal proceedings: reliability of admissions by defendants — s 85
[4-0860]
Exclusion of records of oral questioning — s 86
[4-0870]
Admissions made with authority — s 87
[4-0880]
Proof of admissions — s 88
[4-0890]
Evidence of silence — s 89
[4-0900]
Discretion to exclude admissions — s 90
Evidence of judgments and convictions
[4-1000]
Background
[4-1010]
Applications of ss 91–93
[4-1020]
Acquittals
Tendency and coincidence
[4-1100]
General
[4-1110]
Application — s 94
[4-1120]
Use of evidence for other purposes — s 95
[4-1125]
Context evidence
[4-1130]
Failure to act — s 96
[4-1140]
The tendency rule — s 97
[4-1145]
Admissibility of tendency evidence in proceedings involving child sexual offences — s 97A
[4-1148]
Tendency and coincidence directions in criminal trials — s 161A Criminal Procedure Act 1986
[4-1150]
The coincidence rule — s 98
[4-1160]
Requirements for notices — s 99
[4-1170]
Court may dispense with notice requirements — s 100
[4-1180]
Further restrictions on tendency evidence and coincidence evidence adduced by prosecution — s 101
Credibility
Evidence Act
1995, Pt 3.7 (ss 101A–108C)
[4-1185]
General
[4-1190]
Credibility evidence — s 101A
[4-1200]
The credibility rule — s 102
[4-1210]
Exception: cross-examination as to credibility — s 103
[4-1220]
Further protections: cross-examination of accused — s 104
[4-1230]
Further protections: defendants making unsworn statements — s 105
[4-1240]
Exception: rebutting denials by other evidence — s 106
[4-1250]
Exception: re-establishing credibility — s 108
[4-1260]
Admissibility of evidence of credibility of person who has made a previous representation — s 108A; Further protections: previous representations of an accused who is not a witness — s 108B
[4-1270]
Persons with specialised knowledge — s 108C
Character
[4-1300]
Application — s 109
[4-1310]
Evidence about character of accused persons — s 110
[4-1320]
Evidence about character of co-accused — s 111
[4-1330]
Leave required to cross-examine about character of accused or co-accused — s 112
Privilege
[4-1500]
General
[4-1505]
Client legal privilege
[4-1510]
Advice privilege — s 118
[4-1515]
Observations on the operation of s 118
[4-1520]
Litigation privilege — s 119
[4-1525]
Litigants in person — s 120
[4-1530]
Loss of client legal privilege: consent — s 122
[4-1535]
The inconsistency test — s 122(2)
[4-1540]
Loss of privilege: knowing and voluntary disclosure — s 122(3)(a), (4), (5)
[4-1545]
“the substance of the evidence” — s 122(3)
[4-1550]
“in the course of making a confidential communication or preparing a confidential document” — s 122(5)(a)(i)
[4-1555]
“under compulsion of law” — s 122(5)(iii)
[4-1560]
Joint clients and “common interest” — s 122(5)(b), (c)
[4-1562]
Discovery — documents mistakenly produced without a claim for privilege
[4-1565]
Loss of privilege: a document used to try to revive a witness’s memory (or by a police officer under s 33) — s 122(6)
[4-1570]
Loss of client legal privilege: defendants in a criminal trial — s 123
[4-1575]
Loss of client legal privilege: joint clients — s 124
[4-1580]
Loss of client legal privilege: misconduct — s 125
[4-1585]
Loss of client legal privilege: related communications and documents — s 126
[4-1587]
Cabinet papers
[4-1588]
Privilege in respect of self-incrimination — exception for certain orders — s 128A
[4-1590]
Settlement negotiations are excluded from admission into evidence — s 131
Discretionary and mandatory exclusions
[4-1600]
General
[4-1610]
General discretion to exclude evidence — s 135
[4-1620]
General discretion to limit use of evidence — s 136
[4-1630]
Exclusion of prejudicial evidence in criminal proceedings — s 137
[4-1640]
Discretion to exclude improperly or illegally obtained evidence — s 138
[4-1650]
Cautioning of persons — s 139
Inferences
[4-1900]
The rule in Browne v Dunn
[4-1910]
The rule in Jones v Dunkel
Evidence Act: extrinsic material
[4-2000]
Part 3.4 (Admissions), s 84 Exclusion of admissions influenced by violence and certain other conduct
[4-2010]
Part 3.4 (Admissions), s 85 Criminal proceedings: reliability of admissions by defendants; Obligation of police to caution suspect