Evidence is how a case is won or lost. Whatever the merits of a claim, a party succeeds only on the facts it can prove with admissible evidence — and a solicitor's job is to gather it, present it, challenge the other side's, and keep protected material out of the wrong hands. Getting evidence right shapes every stage of a dispute, from first instructions to trial.
This lesson builds that picture step by step.
- Foundations, Burden and Standard of Proof — relevance, the court's power to control evidence, and who must prove what, to what standard.
- Presumptions and Inferences — how doctrines like res ipsa loquitur, convictions, and a party's silence affect the evidential picture.
- Hearsay Evidence — when out-of-court statements are admissible, the notice required, and how their weight is assessed.
- Witness Evidence — what a witness statement must contain, how it works at trial, and the rules of cross-examination.
- Expert Evidence — the expert's duty to the court, when permission is needed, and what their report and joint statements must do.
- Privilege and Without Prejudice — protecting legal advice, litigation material, and genuine settlement communications.
- Public Interest Immunity and Admissions — excluding evidence on public interest grounds, the effect of admissions, and proving foreign law.