Wharton's Criminal Evidence, 15th

Wharton's Criminal Evidence thoroughly analyzes applicable Federal Rules of Evidence and cases interpreting the rules. Expert authors compare and contrast corresponding evidentiary rules, statutes, and individual state cases. All evidence and admissibility principles are treated specifically as they apply to criminal cases. This title contains expert guidance for both defense and prosecution on handling witnesses, impeachment rules, lay witness opinion, expert testimony, and real and demonstrative evidence.

It discusses admissibility rules, including relevance, hearsay, privileged communications, authentication and identification, best evidence issues, and burdens of proof. The authors include major Supreme Court criminal evidence decisions. The text also:

• Provides step-by-step guidance through evidentiary issues encountered in criminal cases

• Offers guidance for conducting direct-examination, cross-examination, and re-examination of witnesses as well as procedures for objecting

• Identifies circumstances in which infancy, mental illness, intoxication, or witness's psychological state may render witness incompetent to testify

• Examines witness impeachment for bias or motive, based on prior inconsistent statements or prior convictions; rehabilitating impeached witnesses

• Explains hearsay rule and exceptions, interplay of Confrontation Clause when prior statements may be admitted as substantive evidence

• Includes steps for when witnesses fail to appear or refuse to testify; circumstances in which courts may exclude witnesses

• Reviews attorney-client privilege, attorney work product doctrine, marital communications privilege, doctor-patient privilege, and informant's privilege

• Analyzes admissibility of real and demonstrative evidence, types of expert testimony used, burden of proof, and reasonable doubt