Nursing, midwifery and the criminal justice system

The law of evidence is a branch of law that consists of legal rules, procedural rules and administrative arrangements whereby courts and tribunals within the justice system receive and evaluate evidence. Forensic practitioners’ must understand the legal principles that govern the admissibility of their evidence and have high order communication skills.

In this unit you will gain practical skills in the preparation of medico-legal reports to be used as items of evidence, the delivery of oral evidence in courts and tribunals, and the techniques of advocacy that can influence the way in which a forensic practitioner's evidence is received by courts.

Workbooks and case examples will be used to lay the academic foundations of the unit, and you will develop and demonstrate witness skills and oral communication techniques during a two-day face-to-face workshop. The latter will take the form of a moot court 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.