1114 | Trial Advocacy, Criminal Defence: The Theory

This course will develop on what students have learnt in courses on Criminal Procedure and Evidence. While those courses would have given students a foundation in theory and application, the present course will be focussed on the legal issues that lawyers navigate daily, both inside and outside court.

The readings are gathered from a wide and eclectic array of sources and have been chosen because they illuminate different aspects of the trial process. They are materials that I have collected over the years as I have sought answers to questions that troubled me during my practice as a criminal lawyer. They include text and audio-visual material, and both primary and secondary material, with a substantial caselaw component. Discussions will cover cases of murder, sexual assault, theft and other ‘serious’ and ‘petty’ offences.