What is the test for admitting fresh evidence at trial?

British Columbia, Canada


The following excerpt is from Luft v. Ball, 2012 BCSC 1032 (CanLII):

These principals and others which apply to the exercise of discretion to admit fresh evidence were summarized in Zhu v. Li, 2007 BCSC 1467: a) Prior to the entry of the formal order, a trial judge has a wide discretion to re-open the trial to hear new evidence. b) This discretion should be exercised sparingly and with the greatest care so as to prevent fraud and abuse of the court’s process. c) The onus is on the applicant to show first that a miscarriage of justice would probably occur if the trial is not re-opened and second that the new evidence would probably change the result. d) The credibility of the proposed fresh evidence is a relevant consideration in deciding whether its admission would probably change the result. e) Although the question of whether the evidence could have been presented at trial by the exercise of due diligence is not necessary determinative, it may be an important consideration in deciding whether a miscarriage of justice would probably occur if the trial is not re-opened. (para. 20)

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