1984 Ed.]
Evidence
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15. A witness in any proceedings may be questioned as to whether he has been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor, and, on being so questioned, if he either denies or does not admit the fact or refuses to answer, it shall be lawful for the cross-examining or opposite party to prove such conviction, and in such case, and also whenever it may be necessary to prove the trial and conviction or acquittal of any person charged with an indictable offence, a certificate, record, or extract of the conviction containing the substance and effect only (omitting the formal part) of the conviction for such offence, purporting to be signed by the clerk of the court or other officer having the custody of the records of the court where the offender was convicted, or acquitted, or by the deputy of such clerk or officer, shall, on proof of the identity of the person, be sufficient evidence of such conviction or acquittal, without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the same.
16. It shall not be necessary in any proceedings to prove by the attesting witness any instrument to the validity of which attestation is not requisite; and such instrument may be proved by admission or otherwise as if there had been no attesting witness thereto.
17. Comparison of a disputed writing with any writing proved to the satisfaction of the court to be genuine shall be permitted to be made by witnesses in any proceedings, and such writings, and the evidence of witnesses respecting the same, may be submitted to the court and to the jury, if any, as evidence of the genuineness or otherwise of the writing in dispute.
17A. (1) Where in any criminal proceedings the happening of an event of any description is relevant, and it is proved that a system has been followed whereby a person acting under a duty has compiled a record of the happening of all events of that description, evidence that there is no record of the happening of the event in question shall be admitted as prima facie evidence to prove that the event did not happen.
(2) This section shall not apply to any record compiled in connexion with any criminal proceedings or with any investigation relating or leading to any criminal proceedings.
(3) Where evidence is tendered under this section, the court may require that the whole or part of the record concerned be produced and, in default, may reject the evidence or, if it has been received, exclude it.
(4) Any reference in this section to a person acting under a duty includes a reference to a person acting in the course of any occupation in which he is engaged or employed or for the purposes of any paid or unpaid office held by him.
(Added, 37 of 1984, s. 3)
Proof of conviction and previous conviction for indictable offence.
1851 c. 99, s. 13: 1854 c. 135, s. 35: 1865 c. 18. s. 6; 1871 c. 112. s. 18.
Attesting witness need not be called.
1854 c. 125, s. 26; 1865 c. 18, s. 7.
Comparison of disputed with genuine writing.
1854 c. 125. s. 27.
Evidence in criminal proceedings to prove unrecorded event did not happen.
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