Legal notes

Clinical forensic medicine is practised in a constantly changing legal and social environment, for the law develops in response to pressures from society, from interest groups, and from academic jurisprudence. Medico-legal evidence is given in that context, requiring doctors to understand, for instance, why counsel may interrupt with a 'Don't answer that, doctor' which is followed by legal debate and a ruling from the presiding judge on admissibility. Such rules of evidence vary from country to country, none having an absolute claim to superiority. The editor welcomes brief reports on significant cases or pieces of legislation affecting the gathering and presentation of evidence and how these may influence witnesses and the decisions of courts. Readers of the Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine come from many jurisdictions; a broad base of experience is, therefore, available for contributors to draw on to the benefit of all.