This course introduces students to the traditions, principles, policies, concepts, sources of law, and professional (and unprofessional) attitudes that form the heart of an attorney's life in the courtroom. Students will become familiar with Alabama and federal rules of evidence, both as present law and as examples of the rules forming the contemporary American law of evidence. Among the topics examined are: relevance; hearsay; procedures for admitting and excluding evidence; the calling, competence, and impeachment of witnesses; opinions and expert testimony; authentication of writings and identification of things; the original writing rule; and evidentiary privileges.
