证据的 admissibility (可采性)、relevance (相关性)、weight (说服性)以及sufficiency (充分性)均是有关证据规则(rules of evidence),
指适用于庭审时证据提交的标准)相关的一些法律原则问题。admissibility指能否被允许接受作为听证会、审判或其他程序之证据的特性或状况
(the quality or state allowed to be entered into evidence in a hearing, trial, or other proceeding[1])。 relevancy 主要指相关性质
或状况(the quality or state of being relevant[2])。weight指证据说服力的一种比较(the persuasiveness of some evidence in comparison
with other evidence[3] )。sufficiency 则指证据的充足性(whether enough evidence exists to justify the fact[4]) 。
在英美法的证据规则中,admissibility处于核心地位,确定一个证据是否应予采用,主要依据其实质性(materiality)、证明性(probativeness)和有
效性(competency)而定。而实质性和证明性合在一起则构成证据的相关性。美国证据法在证据价值的评断和运用证据证明案件事实上赋予法官和陪审员
极大的自由裁量权,因此美国的证明制度属于自由证明(free proof)范畴,而不属于规制证明或法定证明(regulated proof)范畴。
[1] Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 48, West Group (1999).
[2] Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D.,Meniam Webster’s Dictionary of Law y at p. 418, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Sprin^ield, Massachusetts (1996).
[3] Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black’s Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 1588,West Group (1999).
[4] Id, at p. 1447.