The law will speed up cases involving lots of documents

The most important parts of the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence law concern hearsay statements and business documents.

Hearsay evidence can be considered by a court in Jersey if it is in the form of a written statement.

This can be accepted if the statement has been taken by a police officer or someone investigating the case.

Business documents

This is only if the witness cannot be present in court because they are ill, away from the island or if the witness is dead.

Before now, people had to attend court to give evidence and were sometimes flown in to the island.

However, verbal hearsay will still not be accepted.

Also, business documents can be used as evidence.

Officials at the Home Affairs Committee say this could speed up cases with lots of documents involved, such as a fraud case.