Defense Requests for International Judical Assistance: The U.K. Perspective

The purpose of this Essay is to examine the machinery for providing evidence to defendants in foreign proceedings and the extent to which there is equality of arms and opportunity between the prosecutor and defendant when obtaining evidence from abroad in U.K. proceedings. This Essay will also identify the new problems that are starting to emerge when such equality is threatened. To do so, it explores the mechanism by which mutual assistance is governed in the United Kingdom - the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act of 1990.