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LAW30070

Academic Year 2026/2027

Evidence - Foundations (LAW30070)

Subject:
Law
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Law
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Thomas Mohr
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This is the first of two modules examining the rules that regulate the admission of evidence in a court of law. These rules cover the gathering of evidence in advance of trial and its subsequent presentation in the courtroom. This course places particular emphasis on the structure of the trial process and its influence on the manner in which evidence is presented. It also examines witness testimony, safeguards against unreliable evidence and the impact of constitutional rights on persons accused of criminal offences.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module students should be able to: apply knowledge of evidentiary rules and constitutional rights to hypothetical fact-based scenarios; identify types of evidence whose reliability is seen as questionable by the courts; recognise the contextual significance of constitutional rights within the trial process; evaluate Irish evidentiary rules as compared to those in other common law countries.

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

101

Lectures

24

Total

125


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
lectures; critical writing; reflective learning;

Students on this module are expected to have read and understood the UCD Academic Integrity Policy and the School Protocol on Academic Integrity. Students must ensure that they comply with all requirements laid down therein and avoid academic misconduct. Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence, or other machine learning technology, in their learning on this module. Because this module is assessed by an unseen, invigilated examination, no formal citation methodology is prescribed.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
LAW41870 - Advanced Evidence 1

Equivalents:
Evidence I (LAW37070)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Exam (In-person): Examination: Closed book written examination End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
Graded No
100
No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 11:00 - 12:50