General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW3102 |
| Course name: | Evidence I |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme |
| Semester: | First and Second |
| Designated research course: | Not applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | Criminal Law I & II |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value | 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
The course covers the major topics typically included in an introductory evidence course: relevance, admissibility, residual discretion, burden and standards of proof, proof without evidence (presumptions, judicial notice and formal admissions), competence and compellability, refreshing memory, attacking credibility, prior statements, character evidence, similar fact evidence, opinion and expert evidence, hearsay, confessions, consciousness of guilt, exclusion of evidence for violations of human rights, and legal professional privilege.
The emphasis in this course is on rules of admissibility as opposed to trial procedure. However, a full understanding of these rules and their rationale requires a basic appreciation of trial procedures and practices. Consequently, students are advised to gain some knowledge of trial procedures early on in the course.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor (first and second semester) / tutor (second semester) | Jacky Yeung | yeungjck@hku.hk | CCT 814 | By appointment / email |
| Course tutor (first semester) | Ted Chan | tchan@dcc.law | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Coco Lam | TBA | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (second semester) | Candice Lau | TBA | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Kelly Shum | kellyshum@redechambers.com | N/A | By email |
1.4 Course Outline (for elective course)
| Please click the link here for the course outline (HKU Portal login required). |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO1 – describe and discuss the rules governing admissibility of evidence in civil and criminal proceedings in Hong Kong.
CLO2 – apply the rules of evidence to a given fact situation, paying particular attention to developing overt arguments explaining the (ir)relevance of specific items of evidence related to specific issues in dispute.
CLO3 – (in the event that a piece of evidence is admissible) discuss the probative value, reliability of the piece of evidence concerned, and/or the credibility of the witness.
CLO4 – explain how the trial judge should instruct the jury in the use of admissible evidence in specific scenarios.
CLO5 – discuss and evaluate the underlying principles, policies and/or justifications of having the rules of evidence.
CLO6 – Upon achieving the abovementioned course learning objectives, render well-reasoned oral and/or written legal advice in the given hypothetical scenario with reference to relevant cases, statutory provisions and professional codes of conduct.
Please refer to the following link: https://course.law.hku.hk/llb-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 6 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Tutorial participation | 20% | 1, 5 | 1-6 |
| Individual Portfolio | 30% | 1, 2 | 1-6 |
| In-hall exam | 50% | 1, 3 | 1-6 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s). See also Course Outline above.
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Lecture: | 2 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Tutorial: | 1 hour / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hour / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
The Tutorial Participation assessment is in place to incentivise students:- (i) to keep up with the teaching progress of the course throughout the semester; (ii) to familiarize themselves with the essential issues and applicable cases/legislation in each of the individual topics of the course; (iii) to assist students with the self-identification of their own strengths and/or weaknesses when answering tutorial questions; (iv) to facilitate academic discussions among students within individual tutorial groups and/or (if necessary) further discussions among students and teachers in lectures and tutorials.
The Individual Portfolio assessment provides opportunities to students to reflect on what they have learned in lectures and tutorials and consider how such relevant legal principles are applied to different factual circumstances.
The final assessment assesses whether students have achieved the learning outcome for the course as a whole. Compulsory questions of the examination shall test students fundamental knowledge of various topics of the course, whereas optional questions (if available) shall test students in-depth knowledge of selected individual topics.
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Prescribed (compulsory) reading materials: | There are no compulsory textbooks for this course. Other prescribed reading materials (e.g. Lecture outlines/slides, cases and legislation) shall be posted on Moodle. |
| Suggested (non-compulsory) reading -materials: | Students may consider any of the following recommended (non-compulsory) textbooks:-
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| Other materials cited in the teaching materials (Subject to further changes): |
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5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/