The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights

This paper sets out to examine the epistemic ambitions of the criminal trial. It argues for an understanding of criminal evidence and proof which is inextricably connected to the demands of justified punishment and fair trials in the rule of law. Criminal trials must prioritise the individual rights...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sarah Jane Summers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat de Girona. Cátedra de Cultura Jurídica 2023-01-01
Series:Quaestio Facti
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistes.udg.edu/quaestio-facti/article/view/22809
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850212373415067648
author Sarah Jane Summers
author_facet Sarah Jane Summers
author_sort Sarah Jane Summers
collection DOAJ
description This paper sets out to examine the epistemic ambitions of the criminal trial. It argues for an understanding of criminal evidence and proof which is inextricably connected to the demands of justified punishment and fair trials in the rule of law. Criminal trials must prioritise the individual rights of the accused, but they also define more generally the manner in which those subject to the law are to be treated in order to engender public acceptance of the verdict. In this sense, it is sceptical of instrumental accounts of criminal adjudication and, in particular, of the feasibility of any sort of separation of outcome and process. It subscribes instead to the notion that (true) belief in the necessity of imposing punishment in the rule of law will only be warranted if it is based on appropriate reasons, understood as reasons which are formed following a distinct type of process.
format Article
id doaj-art-8e8a2f3689b14d10a5398e6a6b4ddc4a
institution OA Journals
issn 2660-4515
2604-6202
language English
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Universitat de Girona. Cátedra de Cultura Jurídica
record_format Article
series Quaestio Facti
spelling doaj-art-8e8a2f3689b14d10a5398e6a6b4ddc4a2025-08-20T02:09:21ZengUniversitat de Girona. Cátedra de Cultura JurídicaQuaestio Facti2660-45152604-62022023-01-01410.33115/udg_bib/qf.i1.2280913197The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and RightsSarah Jane Summers0University of ZurichThis paper sets out to examine the epistemic ambitions of the criminal trial. It argues for an understanding of criminal evidence and proof which is inextricably connected to the demands of justified punishment and fair trials in the rule of law. Criminal trials must prioritise the individual rights of the accused, but they also define more generally the manner in which those subject to the law are to be treated in order to engender public acceptance of the verdict. In this sense, it is sceptical of instrumental accounts of criminal adjudication and, in particular, of the feasibility of any sort of separation of outcome and process. It subscribes instead to the notion that (true) belief in the necessity of imposing punishment in the rule of law will only be warranted if it is based on appropriate reasons, understood as reasons which are formed following a distinct type of process.https://revistes.udg.edu/quaestio-facti/article/view/22809criminal evidenceprocedurehuman rightspunishment
spellingShingle Sarah Jane Summers
The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights
Quaestio Facti
criminal evidence
procedure
human rights
punishment
title The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights
title_full The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights
title_fullStr The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights
title_full_unstemmed The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights
title_short The Epistemic Ambitions of the Criminal Trial: Truth, Proof, and Rights
title_sort epistemic ambitions of the criminal trial truth proof and rights
topic criminal evidence
procedure
human rights
punishment
url https://revistes.udg.edu/quaestio-facti/article/view/22809
work_keys_str_mv AT sarahjanesummers theepistemicambitionsofthecriminaltrialtruthproofandrights
AT sarahjanesummers epistemicambitionsofthecriminaltrialtruthproofandrights