Foreword

Without doubt, this intensive on the Evidence Act 2006 will be the most important education programme any New Zealand litigator attends this year.  The changes effected by the new Act are very significant.  What is more, it is difficult to understand the structure and flavour of the Act just by reading it in black and white.  One needs the advantage of having it explained by experts. 

Fortunately for all of us, the New Zealand Law Society has managed to persuade a number of experts to prepare papers on the new Act and to address us at intensives around the country.  The papers in this booklet are of a uniformly high standard.  We have no doubt that, at least pending the planned publication of new evidence texts later this year, this intensive booklet will be every litigator’s vade-mecum.  We are grateful to the authors for their diligent research and the papers emanating from it. 

We look forward to seeing you at the intensives.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions or express views on the topics under discussion: even the experts would admit there are at the moment many areas of uncertainty.  Potential complications, and more importantly potential solutions, will come out of the discussions which will follow the seminar presentations.  We invite you to be part of the dialogue.

The Hon Justice Chambers

The Hon Justice William Young

Authors

Author(s): Robert Dobson QC, Pheroze Jagose, The Hon Justice William Young, The Hon Justice Chambers, Grant Burston, Saaeda Verall, Helen Cull QC, Jonathan Eaton, Hon Robert Fisher QC, Christine Gordon, Grant Illingworth QC,  David Jones, Sarah Katz, Dr Don Mathias, Philip Morgan QC, Peter Whiteside