Evidence, Law 718, Syracuse University College of Law

Summer 2012

Class starts on May 15, 2011. The required text is Merritt and Simmons's Learning Evidence: From the Federal Rules to the Courtroom, 2d (West Law School, 2012) ISBN-13: 9780314275400. [$176 at West, $146.55 at Amazon.]

Next: Lesson #3 for Thursday, May 17, 2012.

Lesson
1 on 5/15	Part I: Introduction to Evidence
	Study Guide	xxv
	Chapter 1 – Why Take This Course?	1
	Chapter 2 – Types of Courtroom Evidence	6
	Chapter 3 – Four W’s of the Federal Rules	20
	Chapter 4 – Structure of a Trial	32
	Resources for Lesson 1:
	audio file PowerPoint slides.

2 on 5/16	Chapter 5 – Raising and Resolving Evidentiary Objections	40

	Part II: Relevance and Undue Prejudice	55
	Chapter 6 – Relevance	55

3 on 5/17	Chapter 7 – Prejudice, Confusion, or Waste of Time	69
	Chapter 8 – Fitting the Rules Together	85
	Plus handouts:
	Handout (Old Chief case) Handout used in class re: flight as evidence
	Part III: Specialized Article IV Rules	88
	· Chapter 9 – Subsequent Remedial Measures	88
	· Chapter 10 – Civil Settlements	106
	· Chapter 11 – Offers to Pay Medical Expenses	127
	· Chapter 12 – Plea Bargaining	135
	· Chapter 13 – Liability Insurance	150

	Part IV: Witnesses	157
	· Chapter 14 – Putting a Witness on the Stand	157
	· Chapter 15 – Examining Witnesses	174
	· Chapter 16 – Refreshing a Witness’s Memory	195
	Part V: Impeachment	207
	· Chapter 17 – Impeachment	207
	· Chapter 18 – Using Prior Statements to Impeach	217
	· Chapter 19 – Revealing Untruthful Character on Cross-Examination	236
	· Chapter 20 – Using Criminal Convictions to Impeach	247
	· Chapter 21 – Opinion or Reputation Evidence of Untruthful Character	268
	· Chapter 22 – Cross-Examining the Character Witness	277
	· Chapter 23 – Religious Beliefs and Impeachment	283

	Part VI: Rule of Completeness (Chapter 24)	287

Spring 2012

Part I: Introduction to Evidence
For Lesson 1 on 1/18:
PowerPoint used in class Audio file of Lesson #1.
Chapter 1 – Why Take This Course?	1
Chapter 2 – Types of Courtroom Evidence	6
Chapter 3 – Four W’s of the Federal Rules	20
Chapter 4 – Structure of a Trial	32
For Lesson 2 on 1/19:
PowerPoint used in class audio file of Lesson #2.
Chapter 5 – Raising and Resolving Evidentiary Objections	40

Part II: Relevance and Undue Prejudice
Chapter 6 – Relevance	55
For Lesson 3 on 1/25:
Audio file of class. Handout (Old Chief case) PowerPoint used in class Handout used in class re: flight as evidence
Chapter 7 – Prejudice, Confusion, or Waste of Time	69
Chapter 8 – Fitting the Rules Together	85

Part III: Specialized Article IV Rules
For Lesson 4 on 1/30:
audio file of class.
Chapter 9 – Subsequent Remedial Measures	88
Chapter 10 – Settlements & Offers to Compromise	106
For Lesson 5 on 2/6:
PowerPoint slides used in class text of videos shown in class audio file of Lesson 5.
Chapter 11 – Offers to Pay Medical Expenses	127
Chapter 12 – Criminal Plea Bargaining	135
Chapter 13 – Liability Insurance	150

Part IV: Witnesses
For Lesson 6 on 2/8:
PowerPoint slides used in class. audio file of Lesson 6. Professor Lewin on NY competency law.
Chapter 14 – Putting a Witness on the Stand	157
Chapter 15 – Examining Witnesses	174
For Lesson 7 on 2/13:
Audio file of Lesson 7. PowerPoint slides used in class.
Chapter 16 – Refreshing a Witness’s Memory (FRE 612)	195

Part V: Impeachment
Chapter 17 – Impeaching Witnesses (FRE 607)	207
Chapter 18 – Using Prior Statements to Impeach (FRE 613)	217
For Lesson 8 on 2/15:
PowerPoint slides used in class. Audio file of Lesson #8.
Chapter 19 – Revealing Untruthful Character on Cross-Examination	236
Chapter 20 – Using Criminal Convictions to Impeach	247
For Lesson 9 on 2/22:
Audio file of Lesson #9.
Chapter 21 – Opinion or Reputation Evidence of Untruthful Character (FRE 608(a))	268
Chapter 22 – Cross-Examining the Character Witness (FRE 608)	277
Chapter 23 – Religious Beliefs and Impeachment (FRE 610)	283

For Lesson 10 on 2/27:
audio file of Lesson #10.
Part VI: Rule of Completeness (Chapter 24)	287

Part VII: Character Evidence
Chapter 25 – Character Evidence and the Rules	292
Chapter 26 – Evidence to Prove Character as an Element	303
Chapter 27 – Using Character Evidence to Prove Propensity	313
For Lesson 11 on 2/29:
audio file of Lesson 11.
Chapter 28 – Character Evidence to Show Propensity in Criminal Prosecutions	319
Chapter 29 – Methods of Proving Propensity in Criminal Cases	329
For Lesson 12 on 3/2 (make-up):
Handout [Notice to Introduce 404(b) Evidence, identity] Handout [Notice to Introduce 404(b) Evidence, knowledge] PowerPoint slides for Lesson 12 Audio file of Lesson 12
Chapter 30 – Crimes, Wrongs, or Other Acts	342
Chapter 31 – Habit	368
Lesson 13 on 3/5:
audio file of Lesson #13.
Chapter 32 – Rape Shield Law	378
Chapter 33 – Propensity in Sexual-Assault and Child-Molestation Cases	397

For Lesson 14 on 3/7:
Audio file of Lesson 14. PowerPoint slides of Lesson #14.
Part VIII: Preliminary Questions (Chapter 34)	406

Part IX: Introduction to Hearsay
Chapter 35 – What Is Hearsay and Why Don’t We Like It?	424
For Lesson 15 on 3/19:
PowerPoint slides from Lesson 15 on 03/19/12.
Chapter 36 – Truth of the Matter Asserted	437
Chapter 37 – What Is a Statement?	450
For Lesson 16 on 3/21:
PowerPoints slides from Lesson 16.
Chapter 38 – Admissible Hearsay	461

Part X: Prior Statements by Witnesses (Chapter 39)	467

For Lesson 17 on 3/26:
PowerPoint slides for Lesson 17
Part XI: Rule 803 Exceptions
Chapter 40 – Present Sense Impressions and Excited Utterances	490
Chapter 41 – State of Mind	504
Lesson 18: on 3/28:
audio file of Lesson 18.
Chapter 42 – Medical Treatment	523
Chapter 43 – Recorded Recollection	536
Chapter 44 – Hearsay Within Hearsay	547
Lesson 19 on 4/2:
PowerPoint from class. Audio recording of class.
Chapter 45 – Business Records	554
Chapter 46 – Public Records	569
Chapter 47 – Other 803 Exceptions	581

Lesson 20 on on 4/4:
Part XII: Rule 804 Exceptions	285
Chapter 48 – Unavailability	285
Chapter 49 – Former Testimony	285
Chapter 50 – Dying Declarations	289
Lesson 21 on 4/9:
Chapter 51 – Statements Against Interest	293
Chapter 52 – Forfeiture	298

Part XIII: Opposing Party Statements
Chapter 53 – Statements by Opposing Parties	635
Lesson 22 on 4/11:
handout on conspiracy
Chapter 54 – Statements by Opposing Parties in the Context of Multiple Parties	649
Chapter 55 – Statements of Coconspirators	664

Part XIV: Hearsay Conclusion
Chapter 56 – Residual Exception	681
Lesson 23 on 4/13 (make-up):
plus Melendez-Diaz PowerPoint slides used in class Handout provided in class
Chapter 57 – Attacking a Declarant’s Credibility	691
Chapter 58 – The Sixth Amendment and Hearsay	699

Lesson 24 on 4/16:
PowerPoint from Lesson 24.
Part XV: Judicial Notice (Chapter 59)	731

Part XVI: Opinion and Expert Testimony
Chapter 60 – Lay Opinions	743
Lesson 25 on 4/18:
PowerPoint slides from Lesson 25.
Chapter 61 – What Subjects Are Appropriate for Expert Testimony?	755
Chapter 62 – Qualifying Experts	773
Chapter 63 – Bases of Expert Opinion	781
Lesson 26 on 4/23:
Chapter 64 – Limits on Opinion and Expert Testimony	799
Chapter 65 – Court-Appointed Experts	815

Part XVII: Privileges
Chapter 66 – Introduction to Privileges	820
Lesson 27 on 4/25:
Chapter 67 – Attorney-Client Privilege	829
Chapter 68 – Other Privileges	851

Lesson 28 (make-up, delivered on-line)
Part XVIII: Authentication, Best Evidence, and Presumptions
Chapter 69 – Authentication	868
Chapter 70 – Best Evidence	885
Chapter 71 – Presumptions	904

Part XIX: The Role of the Jury (Chapter 72) (covered in Lesson 1)	916