Landmark Supreme Court Judgment On Evidence

The Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment in the case of DPP v JC [2015] IESC 31 where it articulated a new exclusionary rule concerning unconstitutionally obtained evidence. Prior to this decision, the old long-standing exclusionary rule from the case of DPP v Kenny [1990] 2 1R 110 provided that unconstitutionally obtained evidence must be excluded, regardless of the degree of care exercised or the state of knowledge of those involved, unless there were "extraordinary excusing circumstances".

The case of DPP v JC related to the criminal trial of Mr JC and the trial judge's decision to exclude incriminating statements made by the accused as they had been unconstitutionally...