Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Education Seminar

Overview

This seminar was offered to judges of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Court of Appeal of Newfoundland and Labrador. Legal academics and judges from Newfoundland and Labrador as well as from neighbouring jurisdictions delivered refresher lectures on several topics in the law of evidence and courtroom management. More than half of these lectures were followed by interactive exercises where participants worked together in small groups to discuss and apply what they had learned.

Objectives

The objectives of this seminar were to equip participants to understand and apply particular rules of evidence that arise regularly in their day-to-day work and to share best practices in ensuring the consistent application of these rules and in managing their courtrooms more generally.

Summary

This seminar focused primarily on evidentiary issues arising often in criminal cases. Participants received refreshers on the law governing similar fact evidence, expert evidence, the examination of witnesses and hearsay. Through a series of interactive exercises, they also had the chance to practice applying what they had learned. Additional sessions were held on evidentiary problems that commonly arise in family cases, techniques for managing and maintaining control in large criminal jury cases, and the appointment and role of amicus curiae.