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Criminal Litigation

Table of Topics

Introduction
nature of criminal procedure
limitation of time for institution of criminal proceedings
sitting of the court
warrant of arrest
arrest without warrant
arrest
search warrant
pre-trial investigation and police interviews
defendant's voluntary statement
admissibility of a confessional statement
alibi
identification/ientification parade
jurisdiction and venues of criminal trials
courts of special criminal jurisdiction in nigeria
english high court procedure and practice in criminal matters
judicial interpretation of enactments
institution of criminal proceedings
the attorney-general (federal and states)
special prosecutors
the police
private legal practitioners
modes of instituting criminal proceedings in nigeria
charges
rules guiding the drafting of charges
amendment of charges
procedure after amendment
effect of failure to comply with [ after-amendment procedure ]
bail pending trial
how to apply for bail in the high court in the north after its refusal in the magistrates' court.
how to apply for bail in the high court in the fct (abuja) after its refusal in the magistrate's court
procedure for application for bail pendig appeal
discharging of sureties & revocation of bail
consequences of a person admitted to bail absconding
constitutional safeguards to ensure a fair trial of the accused
attendance of parties and arraignment
commencement of trial -- arraignment
duty of counsel and court in criminal trials
duty of defense counsel
right to counsel & issues of counsel's relationship with clients & the court
duty of the presiding judge
options open to a defendant when called upon to enter his plea
elements of the special plea of autre-fois acquit/autre-fois convict
trial preparation and evidence
corroboration evidence
evidence of a tainted witness
computer generated evidence
presentation of case by the prosecution
power of the presiding officer to put questions to the witnesses
subpoena and witness summons
examination of witnesses
hearsay evidence
submission of no case to answer
effect of subsequent evidence after a ruling on a no-case submission is delivered by the court
proceedings for the defence
resting the defence's case on the prosecution's
raising the defence of alibi
when the court and the prosecution can call or reccall witnesses after the close of the defence.
concluding addresses
the composition of the court
judgment and sentencing
contents of a judgment
time limit for delivery of judgment
time limit for providing parties with duly authenticated copies of judgment
amendment of judgment
punishment
imprisonment
fines
deportation
compensation or restitution
appeals
who may appeal
appeals, prerogative orders and case-stated
time for appeal
notice of appeal
abatement of appeal
abandonment of appeal
hearing of appeal
additional evidence on appeal
powers of the court of appeal
appeals from high court to the court of appeal
procedure for appeal
opinions of absent justices of the court
filing of notice of appeal - time to appeal by the prosecutor.
right of appeal
grounds on which an aggrieved party may appeal
procedure for appeal from magistrates' courts to state high courts
appeals from states' hc & fhc to the court of appeal
bail pending appeal from decision of a high court to the court of appeal
notice of appeal against a sentence of death
appellate briefs
right of the appellant to be present at the hearing
other relevant matters relating to appeal