Ross on Crime 5th Edition

Ross on Crime 5th Edition

By David Ross

Book

$188.00* $235.00 RRP Save: $47.00 (20%)

Date: 17/12/2010

Code: 9780455228884

Lawbook Co., AUSTRALIA

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Book Ross on Crime 5th Edition 17/12/2010 9780455228884 $188.00

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“David Ross would have to be one of the best legal authors presently writing in English.”
- Peter Vickery QC, Victorian Bar News, Spring/Summer 2007 (now Vickery J)

"It is structured quite differently from any other text in encyclopaedic form. The author’s wisdom stands out."
- John Rowan QC, New Zealand Law Journal, June 2008

“The work is an excellent first reference ... It is a superlative incourt reference tool.”
- Chris Tam, Hearsay, October 2010

"From leading silks down to mere hacks Ross on Crime is a valuable friend at the bar table."
- Simon Watters, Brief (WA), February 2008

Legal practitioners from all over Australia have valued and enjoyed the wisdom and wit of the late David Ross QC over many years and four editions of this unique work.

Maintaining its A-Z format and astonishing scope, Ross on Crime will impress, inform and frequently amuse criminal lawyers, judges and many others.

This fifth edition is the last penned by the hand of David Ross QC, and captures his thoughts on criminal law and reworkings of the text from April 2009 until his passing in December 2009. In all, there are 45 new entries in the book and over 160 existing entries have been updated.

In celebration of this wonderful author’s life's work, Thomson Reuters is honoured to present this new edition encapsulating David Ross’ extensive experience in the criminal law and his memorable wit.

Ross on Crime is essential for anyone interested in the criminal law.

Ross on Crime is also available as an online subscription service for those requiring frequent updates.

Editorial Reviews

From: HEARSAY The Journal of the Bar Association of Queensland, October 2010
Reviewed by Chris Tam

Ross on Crime is now into is fourth edition.  Its author, David John Ross QC was a pre-eminent criminal barrister.  He practised for 42 years, more than 20 of those years as silk.  He passed away on Christmas Eve 20092.
 
The author despised legalese. Benjamin Lindner, one of his pupils, said at his eulogy that ‘he would shake his head and groan at the use of the double negative’.  This approach is obvious in the fourth edition of this work as it was in all previous editions.  A lawyer’s objective is to simplify the complex and narrow the issues.  This work lends itself to the task. 
 
Thankfully, a plethora of witticisms and humorous anecdotes remains in the fourth edition. David Ross was well known as a man with eclectic interests.  He played the didgeridoo.  He also played the trombone and sousaphone but in a jazz band.  He was also in a barber shop quartet.  Interested readers should go to the notations under the topics of ‘Bigamy’ and ‘Jazz’.

The work started out as entries in the author’s personal court book.  Benjamin Lindner noted that ‘he took [his court book] to court when he appeared in Alice Springs in the mid 1980s.  One day he left it in the offices of the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service.  The offices were the victim of arson, and his court book was destroyed’.

Undeterred, the author immediately began to recreate it.  This work is the culmination of his extraordinary efforts.  It is a life’s work.
 
The author’s enthusiasm for the criminal law was bolstered by his immense pride in its practice.  He wore the silk gown, handed to him by Sir Darryl Dawson who, in turn had received it from Sir Keith Aickin.  He also took pride in being appointed silk in Guyana, where he taught advocacy.
 
The breadth of the author’s experience in courts of all levels, including the High Court, translates into a work of immense scope.  The author appeared in countless murder trials throughout Australia.  The author was also a celebrated advocacy instructor (along with Murray Kellam AO, formally a Judge of the Victorian Court of Appeal, and Dan O’Gorman SC of this Bar, the author led teaching delegations to, among other places, Bangladesh composed of other Australian counsel and directed to the task of teaching advocacy technique).  The work clearly shows that the author was an immensely practical lawyer.
 
Ross on Crime is divided into topics.  Each topic has a clear reference number.  There are also helpful appendices at the end of the work.  Appendix A deals with words and phrases. Appendix B deals with Latin (the author had a great interest Latin – when he was head of John Starke Chambers in Melbourne he erected a sign that read ‘Robertus onculus est’ – ‘Bob’s your uncle’).
 
Appendix C deals with legal writing.  It includes a helpful topic entitled ‘Style’ (point ten in Appendix C is ‘avoid double negatives. Never use triple negatives’).  Appendix D is entitled preparation and Appendix E deals with authorised reports and their modes of citation.  Appendix F deals with other reports.  Appendix G deals with Acronyms and Initialisms. 
 
The work is an indispensible tool for the criminal practitioner.  It covers almost every conceivable topic in the practice of criminal law in Australia.  That it is logically and simply organised is a bonus.  For example, the author divides the topic of ‘Uncharged Acts’ into the following sub-headings:
  • Meaning
  • Relevance
  • Admissibility
  • Relationship
  • Prejudicial effect and probative value
  • Complainant’s evidence is more credible
  • Proof not beyond reasonable doubt
  • One incident cannot prove relationship or ‘guilty passion’
  • The need for a warning to the jury
  • Delay in complaint:  Longman warning
  • The judge’s direction
  • Uncharged acts and sentencing
  • Possible uncharged acts direction
A lesser work may have provided page references to the diverse opinions in HML v The Queen (2008) 235 CLR 334; [2008] HCA 16 and nothing more.

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