Introduction: the crossroads of psychology and evidence law -- Minding the jury -- Judges versus juries: trying the facts -- Balancing acts -- Instructions to disregard and to limit use -- Judging the witness -- Witness the witness -- Character evidence: propensity and impeachment -- Other types of evidence -- Hearsay and exceptions -- Scientific and other expert evidence -- Conclusion: the lessons of psychology for evidence law -- Appendix A: Table of concepts -- Appendix B: Federal Rules of Evidence (abridged) -- Notes
Summary
Evidence law is meant to facilitate trials that are fair, accurate and efficient, and that encourage and protect important societal values and relationships. In pursuit of these often-conflicting goals, common law judges and modern drafting committees are often required to perform as amateur applied psychologists. This text draws on current psychological research-based knowledge in order to identify and evaluate the choices implicit in the rules of evidence
