English to Portuguese Law/Patents Law (general) Criminal court

Good character directions in criminal proceedings
Evidence of a defendant's good character in criminal proceedings is admissible and can go to either propensity or credibility or both:
propensity—the defendant is unlikely to have committed the offence with which they are accused;
credibility—the defendant is more truthful than someone without such good character.
Procedure for giving good character directions
Since an absence of convictions does not necessarily mean a defendant is of good character, where reliance is placed on good character, it is the duty of defence counsel and the defendant to ensure that the judge is aware of that fact. Where there is any doubt it is good practice for the judge to raise the matter with counsel.