The Law of Evidence in Canada

If your practice involves representing clients in civil or criminal litigation proceedings, Sopinka, Lederman & Bryant – The Law of Evidence, 4th Edition must figure prominently on your bookshelf. This new edition of the seminal work offers current and in-depth coverage of the Canadian law of evidence, and has been updated to include significant recent developments.

This go-to resource is written by three Superior Court Justices with decades of experience and the necessary expertise to guide practitioners, scholars and students through this complex and ever-changing area of the law.

• Understand and deal with issues such as illegally obtained evidence, confessions and corroboration
• Identify when witnesses will be competent and compellable to testify
• Conduct examinations and cross-examinations within the appropriate scope
• Gauge whether the burden and standard of proof have been met
• Recognize the existence and extent of privilege
• Understand the Supreme Court of Canada's continuing development and extension of the "Principled Approach" into virtually every facet of the law of evidence
• Gain insight into the admissibility of evidence in many different areas, including character evidence, hearsay evidence, similar fact evidence, opinion evidence and documentary evidence

In addition to substantive guidance, Sopinka, Lederman & Bryant – The Law of Evidence, 4th Edition is organized to maximize ease-of-use, with a detailed table of contents and numbered paragraphs for quick access and precise cross-referencing.

Highlights of This Edition

A book about the Canadian law of evidence is only valuable if it provides the most up-to-date information about this evolving and critical topic. This edition of Sopinka, Lederman & Bryant – The Law of Evidence offers exactly that, offering revised content that reflects the current state of the law, including:

• Discussions of important new evidence cases from all levels of court
• Chapter 18 rewritten by Lee Seshagiri and featuring an examination of social media evidence
• Review of developments in specific areas such as hearsay, prior consistent statements and demeanor
• Examination of the application of the "air of reality" test
• Changes to the determination of the admissibility of evidence after R. v. Grant