MEDICAL LEGAL REPORT

Medical legal reports are documents prepared by medical officer in response to a requisition of police officer. These reports are usually made in criminal cases. These reports have legal value in criminal cases.

Medico legal report--- connotation of:

It is a report prepared by a doctor, usually in criminal cases such as assault, rape or murder etc.

Definition of medico legal reports:

Medical legal reports are documents prepared by medical officer in response to a requisition of police officer. These reports are usually

Made in criminal cases

Who prepared medico legal report:

(Doctors or authorized medical officers)

Parts of medical legal report:

There are two parts of a medico legal report.

I: facts observed in examination

ii: opinion of doctors upon those facts

Following are the essentials requirements for conducting a MLR.

i. Time:

MLR should be written at the time of examination.

ii. Care:

Care should be used in preparing MLR.

iii. Formalities: ( date, time, description)

iv. Identification of body:

v. Report must be simple and brief:

vi. Report must based upon facts:

vii. Report prepared by a medical officer:

viii. Injuries must be described in detail:

ix. Nature of injury:

x. Weapon of injury:

xi. Cause of death:

xii. Approximate time since death:

xiii. Clothing, weapons or any symptoms must also be examine:

Importance of reports:

i. Gaudiness of investigating officers:

ii. Guilt of accused:

iii. Expert evidence: (Article 59 of QSO 1984)

iv. Contradiction in cross examination:

v. Corroboration to substantive evidence:

vi. Ascertainment of cause of death:

vii. Ascertainment of time of death:

viii. Ascertainment of injury:

ix. Ascertainment of weapon used:

Evidentiary value:

[1998 SCMR 1778]