Principles of Evidence

This text examines all topics typically covered in a three- or four-hour course in evidence. Emphasis is on the Federal Rules of Evidence, now adopted in most states. Should the reader desire additional material, ample footnotes provide easy access to leading cases, articles, and standard reference works. This volume contains dozens of illustrations, with answers, designed to make the rules come to life. The eighth edition contains the restyled rules and all the new developments on the Confrontation clause, and covers recent amendments, including those going into effect in 2019. Dan Capra is the reporter, Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Evidence, and Steven Saltzburg served as a consultant.*

Contents

• Preface to the eighth edition

• Introduction

• The framework

• Relevance : general principles and special applications

• Relevance : special applications driven by social policy

• Hearsay : what is it?

• Hearsay exemptions

• Hearsay exceptions

• Hearsay and the confrontation clause

• Impeachment

• Privilege

• Expert testimony and scientific evidence

• Burdens and presumptions

• The best evidence rule