It may seem odd to an outsider - but clearly obvious to the seasoned practitioner - that during criminal proceedings, it is not the law that is debated, but primarily the facts of the case. The reason for this lies in the nature of court proceedings: the judge passes ruling on an event that occurred in the past, and for which he/she was not present. The judge must acquire all knowledge indirectly through the process of hearing evidence. Disputes regarding the facts of the case and erroneous judgments are inevitable. With this work, the long overdue model of a rational determination of the facts of a case should also be developed.
Erik Kraatz, Freie Universität Berlin/Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin.
