How to get your witness statements right

Since Practice Direction 57AC came into force in April 2021, the stakes around witness statements have been raised significantly. There is now a steady stream of cases where compliance with the rules are tested and, in several of them, found wanting.

A defective statement can be struck out, meaning that all of the evidence of the witness is dead and gone. At the same time, the courts have deprecated over-analysis of statements against PD 57AC as part of a tactical trial strategy.

Professor Dominic Regan has covered the law around witness statements since it was introduced in 1992. This webinar will address:

• The essential ingredients
• The most common drafting failures
• The trap in CPR 32.10
• How CPR PD 57AC change things
• When a witness summary is required
• When a witness might be ordered to give some evidence in chief
• What should never be in a statement