For Civil and Criminal Lawyers

Whether you are a civil or criminal law practitioner, it is important to keep up-to-date on developments in the law of evidence. Presented by evidence law lecturers and two of the co-authors of Mahoney on Evidence: Act & Analysis (Thomson Reuters 2nd ed, 2024), our annual evidence law update returns.

The 2-hour session will focus on the current application of key sections of the Evidence Act 2006 in both the civil and criminal law jurisdictions. It will cover recent developments in evidence law of interest to all practitioners.

Topics will vary at the discretion of the presenters, but can include:

1. relevance / unfair prejudice/ propensity evidence;
2. expert opinion evidence;
3. claims of privilege / confidentiality;
4. hearsay / business records;
5. defendant’s statements and improperly obtained evidence;
6. eligibility and compellability of witnesses;
7. examination-in-chief;
8. cross-examination;
9. modes of presenting evidence;
10. reliability warnings;
11. “quick takes” on evidence issues in civil and criminal cases.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

• Update your knowledge of key provisions of the Evidence Act 2006 and recent evidence case law from the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
• Gain practical and useful understandings regarding the application of evidence law in civil and criminal proceedings.
• Share the analytical insights into Evidence Act principles, provisions and case law offered by the presenters.

Who Should Watch?

All civil and criminal law practitioners who appear in court.
For this session, attendees will receive detailed PowerPoint slides.

Presenters

Scott Optican, Professor (Evidence & Criminal Procedure), University of Auckland Faculty of Law 
Jack Oliver-Hood, Barrister / Former Lecturer in Evidence law (Auckland & AUT Law Schools)

- both members of the NZ Law Commission Expert Advisory Group for the March/2024 3rd Review of the Evidence Act (NZLC R148)

Vale Jack Oliver-Hood

One of the presenters of 9 December 2025’s Evidence Law Update, Jack Oliver-Hood, tragically lost his life in January 2026.

This was the last of several well-received webinars Jack co-presented with Professor Scott Optican for ADLS/TLANZ, and reflects his breadth and depth of knowledge, critical insight, and passion for the law and justice.

A remarkable academic, zealous litigator and simply a good man, Jack will be sadly missed.