Adams on Criminal Law is now "super sized" to include recent legislative developments.

Widely regarded as one of those indispensable foundation texts no lawyer, member of the judiciary, academic, or student working in the criminal field should be without, its coverage is broad and uncompromising: the whole field of New Zealand’s criminal law from beginning to end prepared by a team of distinguished Judges and lawyers.  From inception the vision was to provide a current, practical, workable reference on criminal law.

The background to "Super Adams"

"A new chapter in the history of Adams was opened in late 2005 when a framework for a new ‘Super Adams’ was discussed. The new blueprint was in anticipation of future legislative developments including the Evidence Bill, the then proposed Criminal Procedure Bill, and sentencing and parole amendments. The blueprint included separate Adams volumes on Evidence, Sentencing, Procedure, Offences and Defences, and later Rights & Powers.

We now see the fruit of this planning and all the considerable effort put in by Adams authors – with new volumes on Evidence, Sentencing, Rights & Powers, and Procedure." *

*Excerpt from a speech by Nigel Royfee, Commercial Manager, Thomson Reuters at a luncheon to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publication of the third (looseleaf) edition of Adams on Criminal Law.

The original Adams

Up until last year, the Adams suite consisted of the following:

Adams on Criminal Law (3 vols)

• VOL 1: Crimes Act 1961 and accompanying commentary
• VOL 2: Control over Proceedings (discursive commentary); Trial Procedure (discussion of trial procedure, the Criminal Disclosure Act 2008, pt 5 Summary Proceedings Act and accompanying commentary); Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (discursive commentary); Arms Act 1983 and accompanying commentary; Serious Fraud Act 1990 with accompanying commentary and related regs; Criminal Justice Act 1985 and accompanying commentary; Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and accompanying commentary; Bill of Rights Act 1990 and accompanying commentary
• VOL 3: Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Act 1995 and accompanying commentary; Bail Act and accompanying commentary; Practice Notes; Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 and accompanying commentary; Related legislation (general legislation relevant to criminal law)

Adams on Criminal Law — Evidence (1 vol)

• One volume containing the Evidence Act 2006 and accompanying commentary; discursive commentary on the treatment of evidence under the Evidence Act 1908 (and subsequent amendments) and the common law; and evidence regulations

Adams on Criminal Law — Sentencing (1 vol)

• One volume comprising the Sentencing Act 2002 and accompanying commentary, sentencing regulations, and appendices relating to the Sentencing Process, Sentence Appeals and Sentencing Levels and Guidelines; the Parole Act 2002 and accompanying commentary; Proceeds of Crime Act 1991 and accompanying commentary, rules and regs; Victims’ Rights Act 2002 and accompanying commentary; Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967 with accompanying commentary and regulations; Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 and introduction.

Changes to accommodate new Acts

By July 2013, two significant pieces of criminal law legislation had come into force: the Search and Surveillance Act 2012 and the Criminal Procedure Act 2011.

Two new titles

Two new titles were added to the Adams suite to accommodate these new Acts: Adams on Criminal Law — Rights and Powers (2-volume looseleaf service completed in Jan 2013) and Adams on Criminal Law — Procedure (available online; 2nd vol in this 2-volume looseleaf service will go to print in September). They are structured as follows:

Adams on Criminal Law — Rights and Powers (2 vols)

• VOL 1 (Rights): Bill of Rights Act 1990 and accompanying commentary; Habeas Corpus Act 2001 and accompanying commentary; Victims’ Rights Act 2002 with accompanying commentary and related legislation
• VOL 2 (Powers): Search and Surveillance Act 2012 and accompanying commentary; Criminal Investigations (Bodily Samples) Act 1995 with accompanying commentary and related legislation

Adams on Criminal Law — Procedure (2 vols)

• VOL 1: Criminal Procedure Act 2011 with accompanying commentary and related rules; Criminal Disclosure Act 2008 and accompanying commentary; Trial Procedure (discursive commentary) and related legislation; Criminal Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (discursive commentary) and related legislation
• VOL II: Control over Proceedings (discursive commentary); Inferior Courts Procedure Act 1909 and accompanying commentary; pt 3 Summary Proceedings Act 1957 (enforcement of infringement offences and fines) and accompanying commentary and regs; Bail Act 2000 and accompanying commentary and rules; Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 with accompanying commentary and related legislation; Youth Justice (parts of Children, Young Persons, and their Families Act 1989 with accompanying commentary and related regs); Practice Notes; Related legislation

Restructuring

As you can see from the content of the new Adams titles, certain chapters which previously sat in Adams on Criminal Law (3 vols) were reviewed by the author team and have been re-issued as part of Adams on Criminal Law — Rights and Powers and Adams on Criminal Law — Procedure. The remaining chapters in Adams on Criminal Law (3 vols), already online, will be re-issued in October in a new 2-volume looseleaf service titled Adams on Criminal Law — Offences and Defences.  It is likely to be structured as follows:

Adams on Criminal Law — Offences and Defences (2 vols)

• VOL 1: Crimes Act 1961 and accompanying commentary
• VOL 2: Summary Offences Act 1981 and accompanying commentary; Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and accompanying commentary; Arms Act 1983 and accompanying commentary; Related legislation

The "Super Adams" content list

So by September/October, a customer who subscribes to the full Adams looseleaf service can expect the following:

1. Adams on Criminal Law — Evidence (1 vol)
2. Adams on Criminal Law — Offences and Defences (2 vols)
3. Adams on Criminal Law — Procedure (2 vols)
4. Adams on Criminal Law — Rights and Powers (2 vols)
5. Adams on Criminal Law — Sentencing (1 vol)

A total of 8 binders!

Adams on Criminal Law is available online, in looseleaf and a paperback student edition.

Find out more

• Find out more about Adams on Criminal Law .
• Or talk to your Account Manager  or our customer care team on: 0800 10 60 60