美国纽约州律师资格考试复习笔记 证据法

Evidence1EVIDENCE(33QS)Issuesidentifiedinpractice:Judicialnotice:司法认知generallyknowninthejurisdictionorcapableofreadyandaccuratedetermination;incivilcase,conclusivelyestablished(mandatory);and,incriminal,maybetakenbyjury(discretionary)Impeachmentbycharacterforuntruthfulness(reputation/opinion,badact,priorconviction)rehabilitationIncivilfraudcase,priorfraudispermittedeitherforcharacterevidence(??)orforprovingintentBusinessrecords:judgemayexcludebusinessrecordsif(i)sourceofinformationlackstruthfulness,(ii)nofirst-handknowledge,(iii)purposedtoprovewhathappenedornot(forpotentiallitigation)(note:thisitem(iii)isokayinNY)Dyingdeclaration:incriminalcase,victimmustdiebecausedyingdeclarationisadmissibleonlyinhomicidecase(ifvictimisnotdead,nohomicidecase).WatchforattemptedmurderMiniReview:1.CharacterevidenceCriminalcase:(1)Prosecutorcan’tintroducebadcharacterforthepurposeofprovingactioninconformitywithcharacter;(2)Disallowedtointroducegoodcharactertoproveheactedinconformitywithgoodcharacter;(3)IfDprovidedgoodcharacterevidence,Prosecutorisallowedtoshowbadcharacterevidence(reputationandopinion)andcross-examinationofcharacterwitnessbymeansofintrinsicevidenceof“specificact”(4)Evidenceofothercrimesareinadmissibleforconformitypurpose,butlikelyadmissibleforMIMICpurpose;(5)IfDtakesthestand,PmayimpeachDwithcharacterevidenceofuntruthfulness.Civilcase:(1)Youcan’tintroducecharacterevidencetoshowconformity;(2)Characterevidencemaybeintroducedforotherpurposes,suchasnegligenthiring/entrustment,defamation,fraud,andMIMIC…;(3)Watchforthedifferencebetweencharacterevidenceandhabitevidence.2.ImpeachmentPriorinconsistentstatementExtrinsicevidenceallowedImpeachedwitnessmustbegivenopportunitytocomment,beforeoraftertheofferofsuchextrinsicevidenceBiasExtrinsicevidenceallowedWitnessmustbecross-examinedforthefactsshowingbias/interestpriortointroductionofextrinsicevidencePriorcrimeconviction(10yearslimitationforFRE)Involvingdishonesty/falsestatementOtherfelonybalancetestExtrinsicevidencebymeansofconvictionrecordPriorbadact–onlyintrinsicevidenceallowed,noaskingaboutarrestUntruthfulnessReputation/opinionSpecificevidenceonlybycross-examination,ifdenied,noextrinsicevidence3.Hearsay(note,partyadmissionisnonhearsayunderFRE)a)Method:hearsay?priorinconsistentstatement,priorconsistentstatement,effectuponpeople,verbalactexceptionb)Prioridentification(nonhearsayunderFRE)Evidence2c)Presentsenseimpressiond)Excitedutterancee)Medicaltreatmentstatementf)Bizrecordsg)Formertestimonyh)Dyingdeclarationi)Partyadmission:vicariousadmission(employee,partner,co-conspirator),adoptiveadmissionI.Relevance相关性A.LogicalRelevance(Probativeness)1.Standardofadmissibility–doestheevidencehaveanytendencytomakeamaterialfactmoreorlessprobablethanitwouldbewithouttheevidence(relatetotime/person/event)是不是和争议的人，事，或者时间有关2.Exceptionswhereadmissible–similaroccurrences相似事件通常具有较小的相关性a.Prioraccidentsorclaims(i)P’sprioraccidenthistory–inadmissible;EXCEPT(a)Provecommonplan&schemeoffraud;or原告以前提出过类似的欺诈性/错误的诉讼请求(b)WhencauseofP’sdamagesisinissue确定是否有因果关系(ii)D’spriorconditions–ONLYinvolvingthesameinstrumentalityorcondition,andoccurringundersubstantiallysimilarcircumstances,toprove:由同样条件引起的相似事故或者伤害(a)Existenceofadangerouscondition(b)Dhadpriornotice(c)Causationb.Intentisissue–drawinferenceofintentfrompriorconducte.g.genderdiscrimination意图或者思想状态c.Similarsalestoestablishvalue价值d.HabitEvidence–toinferapersonactedontheoccasionatissue特定性和经常性(i)Dispositionevidence–NOTadmissible(ii)PriorActevidence(propensity)–NOTadmissible(iii)Habit–Admissible(keywords–always,invariably,automatically,instinctively)(a)particularity;AND(b)frequency(judge’sdiscretionhowoftenisenough)e.IndustrialorBusinessRoutine(businesshabit)–admissible工商业惯例f.IndustrialCustomasStandardofcare(whatdoothersimilarcompanieddo)行业惯例B.JudicialDiscretionaryExclusion法官行使自由裁量权排除的相关性证据1.Probativevalueissubstantiallyoutweighedbydangerof–(1)dangerofunfairprejudice;(2)confusionofissues;(3)misleadingthejury;(4)unduedelay;(5)wasteoftime;(6)undulycumulative2.NOT–unfairsurprise这个不是！！C.PublicPolicyBasedExclusion因为公共政策原因而被排除的证据1.LiabilityInsurancea.Notadmissibletoshownegligence//abilitytopayb.EXCEPTIONS(i)proveownershiporcontrol(whendisputed,getlimitinginstructions);OR证明所有权，控制权(ii)impeachment–biasduetointerest证明有无偏见或者利益关系--如保险理赔人员作为证人2.SubsequentRemedialMeasurea.NNYDistinctions–HabitEvidence(moresuspicious)1.Personalhabitonissueofduecareinnegligent–INADMISSIBLE2.Personalhabitinuseofproduct–Admissible(inproductsliabilitycase)Evidence3otadmissibletoshownegligence/culpableconduct/productordesigndefect/needforwarningb.EXCEPTIONS(i)proveownershipofcontrol(whendisputed);OR(ii)rebutorimpeachaclaimthatprecautionswerenotfeasible(whenfeasibilityisdisputed)采取预防措施的可行性c.Subsequentremedialmeasuresby3rdparties–admissible弹劾证人--声称产品不可能更好NYDistinctions–SubsequentRemedialMeasures(StrictLiabilitycase)1.ManufacturingDefects–Admissibletoestablishdefectivenessofproductwhenmade2.BUT,designdefectORfailuretowarn–NOTadmissible(exceptforfeasibilitydispute)3.Settlem