FOR4001 Medical evidence

The law of evidence is a branch of adjectival law. It consists of legal rules, procedural rules and administrative arrangements whereby courts and tribunals within the justice system receive and evaluate evidence. To perform satisfactorily in this field a forensic medical practitioner's communication skills must be of a high order and they need to understand the legal principles that govern the admissibility of their evidence.

This unit will enable students to gain practical skills in the delivery of medical evidence in courts and tribunals, in the preparation of medico legal reports to be used as items of evidence and in the techniques of advocacy that can modify the way in which a medical practitioner's evidence is received by courts.

Tutorials and presentations will be used to lay the foundations for some of the basic academic objectives of the course. Workshops will be used to establish witness skills and oral communication techniques and a moot court will be used to develop practical skills in presenting evidence and developing strategies to deal with the medico legal and advocacy issues that arise during the examination and cross-examination of witnesses including expert witnesses.