Designed to meet the needs of second-year and third-year courses in evidence, the third edition of Evidence: A Canadian Casebook investigates the rules and principles that govern how facts are established in legal proceedings. The author team, consisting of well-respected scholars from a number of Canadian law schools, has developed a casebook that sets itself apart from other resources by weaving a single case study — inspired by an actual murder prosecution — throughout the entire text. At the end of each chapter, the authors introduce new developments in the case study, and students are asked to apply what they have just learned to solve problems that emerge in the course of that case. As students work through this unique text, they will become familiar with the case study and invested in solving the evidence problems it poses. Additionally, the third edition of Evidence: A Canadian Casebook will help instructors bridge the gap between evidence law in theory and in practice, giving students a deeper sense of the methodology that informs all evidence analysis.

The third edition reflects new developments in evidence law in Canada, including the Supreme Court of Canada’s latest decision on the principled approach to hearsay, the streamlining of the treatment of confessions and improperly obtained evidence, and the Supreme Court of Canada’s reinterpretation of section 24(2) of the Charter. Other cases added are F.H. v. McDougall, (2008), in which the Supreme Court addresses credibility and the civil standard of proof; and R. v. J.H.S., (2008), in which the Supreme Court revisits credibility in criminal cases where an accused testifies. These cases are presented with insightful commentary by the authors, offering students a compelling introduction to the subject of evidence.