A Practical Guide to Bad Character Evidence for Criminal Practitioners - Second Edition

The second edition of ‘A Practical Guide to Bad Character Evidence’ is an essential resource for criminal law practitioners in England and Wales. This comprehensive text walks you through every stage of handling bad character evidence – from identifying it, getting it past the gateways, to directing the jury on its use. The author has distilled common-sense guidance from a vast number of cases on the scope and limitations of the use of bad character evidence. It is a one-stop reference text for advocates and judges in the criminal courts.

Since bad character evidence pervades the trial process, sometimes in unexpected ways, it is vital to have an understanding of the up-to-date legal position and how it works in practice. Each chapter focuses on a different stage or concept, breaking down the legislative tests and categorising the key cases in a clear and structured way. Chapters contain handy sub-headings to facilitate quick lookup, plus cross-references to other subjects and cases. Alongside principles you will find references to cases that show the application of the principle in factual scenarios. This new edition also contains a checklist that walks you through the steps for dealing with possible bad character evidence. There is also an extensive index of cases to help with ready navigation.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Chapter 2 – What Is Bad Character Evidence

Chapter 3 – Section 100 Non-Defendant Bad Character

Chapter 4 – Section 101 Defendant Bad Character

Chapter 5 – Exclusions

Chapter 6 – Jury Directions and Standard of Proof

Chapter 7 – Conclusion