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Evidence Act 1939
18August 2010); s 187: 1 July 2011 (Gaz S32, 20 June 2011);
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Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Evidence Act 1939.
18 August 2010); s 187: 1 July 2011 (Gaz S32, 20 June 2011);
s 127: nc
Local Government (Consequential Amendments) Act 2008 (Act No. 28, 2008)
Assent date 14 November 2008
Commenced 1 July 2008 (s 2)
Evidence Legislation (Authorised Persons) Amendment Act 2009 (Act No. 4, 2009)
Assent date 12 March 2009
Commenced ss 3 and 4(1): 16 October 2007; rem: 12 March 2009 (s 2)
Statute Law Revision Act 2009 (Act No. 25, 2009)
Assent date 1 September 2009
Commenced 16 September 2009 (Gaz G37, 16 September 2009, p 3)
Evidence Act 1939 55
Justice Legislation Amendment (Penalties) Act 2010 (Act No. 12, 2010)
Assent date 20 May 2010
Commenced 1 July 2010 (Gaz G24, 16 June 2010, p 2)
Health Practitioner (National Uniform Legislation) Implementation Act 2010 (Act No. 18,
2010)
Assent date 20 May 2010
Commenced 1 July 2010 (s 2)
Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010 (Act No. 40,
2010)
Assent date 18 November 2010
Commenced 1 March 2011 (s 2, s 2 Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations
Act 2010 (Act No. 39, 2010) and Gaz G7, 16 February 2011,
p 4)
Alcohol Reform (Substance Misuse Assessment and Referral for Treatment Court) Act
2011 (Act No. 19, 2011)
Assent date 20 May 2011
Commenced 1 July 2011 (Gaz G23, 8 June 2011, p 6)
Evidence (National Uniform Legislation) (Consequential Amendments) Act 2012 (Act
No. 23, 2012)
Assent date 21 November 2012
Commenced 1 January 2013 (Gaz G51, 19 December 2012, p 4)
Local Government Amendment Act 2013 (Act No. 28, 2013)
Assent date 8 November 2013
Commenced 8 November 2013
Statute Law Revision Act 2014 (Act No. 38, 2014)
Assent date 13 November 2014
Commenced 13 November 2014
Justice Legislation Amendment (Vulnerable Witnesses) Act 2016 (Act No. 2, 2016)
Assent date 2 March 2016
Commenced 23 March 2016 (Gaz G12, 23 March 2016, p 6)
Local Court (Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 8, 2016)
Assent date 6 April 2016
Commenced 1 May 2016 (s 2, s 2 Local Court (Repeals and Related
Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 9, 2016) and Gaz S34,
29 April 2016)
Justice Legislation Amendment (Body-worn Video and Domestic Violence Evidence)
Act 2017 (Act No. 6, 2017)
Assent date 5 April 2017
Commenced s 6 (ext ins ss 21H to 21R) and pt 4: 2 August 2017 (Gaz S55,
2 August 2017); rem: 26 April 2017 (Gaz G17, 26 April 2017,
p 6)
Supreme Court Amendment (Associate Judges) Act 2017 (Act No. 18, 2017)
Assent date 5 September 2017
Commenced 22 November 2017 (Gaz S84, 21 November 2017, p 1)
Evidence Act 1939 56
Health Practitioner Regulation (National Uniform Legislation) and Other Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 28, 2018)
Assent date 30 November 2018
Commenced 1 December 2018 (s 2)
Evidence and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (Act No. 3, 2020)
Assent date 9 March 2020
Commenced 29 July 2020 (Gaz G28, 15 July 2020, p 1)
Criminal Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2023 (Act No. 20, 2023)
Assent date 17 August 2023
Commenced 25 March 2024 (Gaz S20, 22 March 2024)
Justice Legislation Amendment (Domestic and Family Violence) Act 2023 (Act No. 33,
2023)
Assent date 6 December 2023
Commenced 25 March 2024 (Gaz S18, 22 March 2024)
Amending Legislation
Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (Act No. 4, 2024)
Assent date 14 March 2024
Commenced pt 5, div 1: 30 October 2023 (s 2(2));
pt 3, div 2: 25 March 2024 (s 2(3), s 2 Sentencing and
Other Legislation Amendment Act 2022 (Act No. 28,
2022) and Gaz S19, 22 March 2024);
pt 4: 25 March 2024 (s 2(4), s 2 Criminal Justice
Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2023
(Act No. 20, 2023) and Gaz S20, 22 March 2024);
rem: 15 March 2024 (s 2(1))
Bail Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (Act No. 16, 2024)
Assent date 29 October 2024
Commenced 6 January 2025 (Gaz S111, 23 December 2024)
3 SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
s 5 Evidence Amendment Act 2003 (Act No. 43, 2003)
s 18 Evidence Reform (Children and Sexual Offences) Act 2004 (Act No. 56,
2004)
4 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Ordinances Revision
Ordinance 1973 (Act No. 87, 1973) (as amended) to the following provisions:
ss 2, 8, 9, 14, 17, 21, 26A, 26D, 26H, 26J, 28, 29, 33, 37, 38, 42A 42B, 44,
45, 47, 48, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57 and 59 and First Schedule.
Evidence Act 1939 57
5 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: ss 1, 21A, 21J, 24, 26E, 53, 56
and 66.
6 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
lt amd No. 36, 1990, s 22; No. 23, 2012, s 6
pt 1 hdg sub No. 23, 2012, s 7
s 1 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
s 2 rep No. 23, 2012, s 8
s 3 rep No. 128, 1979, s 37
s 4 amd No. 30, 1967, s 2; No. 36, 1990, ss 4 and 22; No. 23, 1992, s 4; No. 37,
2001, s 3; No. 38, 2002, s 6; No. 32, 2006, s 3; No. 23, 2012, s 9; No. 2,
2016, s 9; No. 6, 2017, s 4; No. 3, 2020, s 15
s 5 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
sub No. 23, 2012, s 10
pt II hdg rep No. 23, 2012, s 10
s 6 amd No. 17, 1996, s 6
sub No. 23, 2012, s 10
s 6A ins No. 2, 2016, s 10
pt 2 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 10
s 7 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
s 8 sub No. 1, 1961, s 2
s 9 amd No. 61, 1983, s 4; No. 36, 1990, s 22; No. 17, 1996, s 6
s 9A ins No. 24, 1939, s 2
amd No. 1, 1961, s 3
rep No. 30, 1967, s 3
s 9B ins No. 24, 1939, s 2
rep No. 30, 1967, s 3
s 9C ins No. 24, 1939, s 2
sub No. 3, 1994, s 3
amd No. 27, 1999, s 15
s 10 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
s 11 amd No. 61, 1978, s 4
rep No. 61, 1983, s 5
s 12 amd No. 23, 2012, s 11
s 13 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
ss 14 – 15 rep No. 23, 2012, s 12
s 16 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
sub No. 56, 2004, s 4
s 17 sub No. 36, 1990, s 5
amd No. 12, 2010, s 3
ss 18 – 19 rep No. 23, 2012, s 12
s 20 amd No. 47, 1970, s 3
Evidence Act 1939 58
s 20A ins No. 32, 2006, s 4
s 21 sub No. 36, 1990, s 6; No. 32, 2006, s 4
pt IIA hdg ins No. 16, 1994, s 3
rep No. 23, 2012, s 13
pt 3 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 13
s 21AA ins No. 3, 2020, s 16
amd No. 20, 2023, s 54; No. 16, 2024, s 18
s 21AB ins No. 3, 2020, s 16
s 21A ins No. 16, 1994, s 3
amd No. 37, 2001, s 5; No. 56, 2004, s 5; No. 33, 2005, s 5; No. 16, 2007,
s 9; No. 4, 2009, s 4; No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 2, 2016, s 11; No. 6, 2017, s 5;
No. 3, 2020, s 17
s 21B ins No. 16, 1994, s 3
amd No. 37, 2001, s 6
sub No. 56, 2004, s 6; No. 16, 2007, s 10
amd No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 2, 2016, s 12
s 21C ins No. 16, 1994, s 3
amd No. 37, 2001, s 7
sub No. 16, 2007, s 10
amd No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 2, 2016, s 13
s 21D ins No. 56, 2004, s 7
amd No. 16, 2007, s 11; No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 2, 2016, s 14
ss 21E – 21F ins No. 16, 2007, s 12
pt 3A hdg ins No. 6, 2017, s 6
s 21G ins No. 6, 2017, s 6
s 21GA ins No. 33, 2023, s 51
s 21H ins No. 6, 2017, s 6
s 21J ins No. 6, 2017, s 6
amd No. 33, 2023, s 52
ss 21K – 21Q ins No. 6, 2017, s 6
ss 21QA –
21QC ins No. 3, 2020, s 18
s 21R ins No. 6, 2017, s 6
pt III hdg rep No. 23, 2012, s 14
pt 4 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 14
ss 22 – 23 rep No. 23, 2012, s 15
s 24 rep No. 36, 1990, s 22
ins No. 43, 2003, s 4
s 25 amd No. 36, 1990, s 7
s 26 rep No. 61, 1983, s 6
s 26A ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
amd No. 17, 1996, s 6
s 26B ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
s 26C ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
amd No. 87, 1973, s 12; No. 36, 1990, s 22; No. 17, 1996, s 6
s 26D ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
s 26E ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
ins No. 56, 2004, s 8
amd No. 16, 2007, s 13; No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 8, 2016, s 45
Evidence Act 1939 59
ss 26F – 26H ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
ss 26J – 26K ins No. 1, 1961, s 4
s 26L ins No. 20, 1984, s 3
pt IV hdg rep No. 23, 2012, s 16
s 27 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12
sub No. 36, 1990, s 8
s 27A ins No. 36, 1990, s 9
s 28 rep No. 23, 2012, s 16
s 28A ins No. 1, 1961, s 5
amd No. 54, 1978, s 4
sub No. 36, 1990, s 10
s 28B ins No. 1, 1961, s 5
amd No. 87, 1973, s 12; No. 51, 1977, s 3; No. 54, 1978, s 4
rep No. 36, 1990, s 10
ss 28C – 28D ins No. 1, 1961, s 5
s 29 amd No. 64, 1965, s 3
sub No. 36, 1990, s 11
s 30 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12
sub No. 36, 1990, s 12
s 30A ins No. 1, 1961, s 6
s 31 rep No. 36, 1990, s 22
s 32 amd No. 36, 1990, s 13; No. 17, 1996, s 6
s 33 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22; No. 17, 1996, s 6
s 33A ins No. 1, 1961, s 7
amd No. 87, 1973, s 12; No. 17, 1996, s 6
s 34 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
s 35 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12
s 36 amd No. 1, 1961, s 8; No. 30, 1967, s 4; No. 47, 1970 s 4; No. 51, 1977, s 3;
No. 54, 1978, s 4; No. 60, 1989, s 6
sub No. 36, 1990, s 14
s 37 amd No. 64, 1965, s 4
s 38 amd No. 64, 1965, s 5
s 39 rep No. 23, 2012, s 16
s 40 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12; No. 60, 1989, s 6
s 41 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12
s 42 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22
Evidence Act 1939 60
s 42A ins No. 1, 1961, s 9
s 42B ins No. 1, 1961, s 9
amd No. 51, 1977, s 3; No. 54, 1978, ss 3 and 4; No. 36, 1990, s 22; No. 17,
2001, s 21; No. 38, 2002, s 6
pt IVA hdg ins No. 23, 1982, s 2
ss 42C – 42G ins No. 23, 1982, s 2
pt V hdg amd No. 38, 2002, s 6
s 43 sub No. 36, 1990, s 15
s 44 amd No. 36, 1990, ss 16 and 22; No. 38, 2002, s 6
s 45 sub No. 36, 1990, s 17
s 45A ins No. 1, 1961 s 10
s 45B ins No. 1, 1961, s 10
amd No. 87, 1973, s 12; No. 38, 2002, s 6
ss 46 – 48 amd No. 36, 1990, s 22; No. 38, 2002, s 6
pt VA hdg ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
rep No. 23, 2012, s 17
pt 5 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 17
pt 5
div 1 hdg ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
s 49 amd No. 30, 1967, s 5
ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
amd No. 2, 2006, s 24; No. 33, 2005, s 5; No. 37, 2007, s 338; No. 19, 2011,
s 46; No. 23, 2012, s 18; No. 3, 2020, s 19
s 49A ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
rep No. 23, 2012, s 19
ss 49B – 49C ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
pt 5
div 2 hdg ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
s 49D ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
s 49E ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
sub No. 3, 2020, s 20
ss 49F – 49J ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
s 49K ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
amd No. 40, 2010, s 42; No. 23, 2012, s 28
ss 49L – 49M ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
Evidence Act 1939 61
pt 5
div 3 hdg ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
ss 49N – 49T ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
pt 5
div 4 hdg ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
ss 49U – 49Y ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
s 49Z ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
ss 49ZA –
49ZB ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
s 49ZC ins No. 20, 1999, s 3
amd No. 12, 2010, s 3; No. 23, 2012, s 28
sub No. 2, 2016, s 15
s 49ZD ins No. 2, 2016, s 15
amd No. 18, 2017, s 36
pt 6 hdg sub No. 36, 1990, s 18; No. 23, 2012, s 20
pt 6
div 1 hdg sub No. 36, 1990, s 18
s 50 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12
s 51 sub No. 36, 1990, s 18
pt 6
div 2 hdg sub No. 36, 1990, s 18
s 52 sub No. 36, 1990, s 18
s 53 amd No. 30, 1967, s 6; No. 51, 1977, s 3
amd No. 32, 2006, s 5; No. 23, 2012, s 28
s 54 sub No. 36, 1990, s 18
s 55 amd No. 64, 1965, s 6; No. 12, 2010, s 3
sub No. 2, 2016, s 16
pt VIA hdg ins No. 37, 2001, s 8
rep No. 23, 2012, s 21
pt 7 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 21
s 56 amd No. 64, 1965, s 7
rep No. 36, 1990, s 18
ins No. 37, 2001, s 8
ss 56A – 56E ins No. 37, 2001, s 8
s 56F ins No. 37, 2001, s 8
amd No. 44, 2005, s 22; No. 18, 2010, s 36; No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 28, 2018,
s 25
s 56G ins No. 37, 2001, s 8
pt VII hdg rep No. 23, 2012, s 22
pt 8 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 22
s 57 amd No. 49, 1985, s 4; No. 48, 1986, s 9; No. 29, 1990, s 7; No. 36, 1990,
s 22; No. 23, 2012, s 28
Evidence Act 1939 62
s 58 amd No. 23, 2012, s 28
s 59 amd No. 64, 1965, s 8
sub No. 36, 1990, s 19
amd No. 12, 2010, s 3
sub No. 2, 2016, s 17
ss 60 – 61 rep No. 36, 1990, s 22
pt VIII hdg rep No. 23, 2012, s 23
pt 9 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 23
s 62 amd No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 8, 2016, s 45
s 62A ins No. 1, 1961, s 11
amd No. 84, 1993, s 6; No. 25, 2009, s 10; No. 23, 2012, s 28; No. 28, 2013,
s 61; No. 38, 2014, s 2
s 63 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12
sub No. 36, 1990, s 20
rep No. 23, 2012, s 24
s 64 amd No. 87, 1973, s 12; No. 84, 1993, s 6; No. 28, 2008, s 3
rep No. 23, 2012, s 24
s 65 sub No. 36, 1990, s 21
pt IX hdg ins No. 4, 2009, s 5
rep No. 23, 2012, s 25
pt 10 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 25
div 1 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 25
s 66 ins No. 4, 2009, s 5
div 2 hdg ins No. 23, 2012, s 26
ss 67 – 68 ins No. 23, 2012, s 26
div 3 hdg ins No. 2, 2016, s 18
s 69 ins No. 23, 2012, s 26
exp No. 23, 2012, s 69(5)
ins No. 2, 2016, s 18
ss 70 – 71 ins No. 2, 2016, s 18
div 4 hdg ins No. 3, 2020, s 21
s 72 ins No. 3, 2020, s 21
div 5 hdg ins No. 33, 2023, s 53
ss 73 – 75 ins No. 33, 2023, s 53
first sch rep No. 23, 2012, s 27
second sch rep No. 61, 1983, s 7
third sch ins No. 24, 1939, s 3
rep No. 30, 1967, s 7
fourth sch ins No. 1, 1961, s 12
amd No. 17, 1996, s 6, No. 40, 2010, s 43
rep No. 23, 2012, s 27