Criminal Courts
In this topic you have to learn the role played by the different courts in the criminal court hierarchy. You should understand the difference between the trial courts, the Magistrates and the Crown Court and the way that the types of offences indictable, either-way (sometimes called hybrid) and summary offences are dealt with in the trial courts and which offences are heard in which courts.
You should also understand the appeal structure and which courts can hear appeals and what grounds there are for an appeal.
The Topic also includes TWO types of important 'LAY' persons that work in the Criminal Justice system in England and Wales:-
MAGISTRATES
and
JURORS
Lay persons are not qualified in law and are unpaid. Magistrates are volunteers in the system, but Jurors are not and are summonsed to appear at court and perform the role of being a juror as a civic duty. Failure to respond to a summons can result in a fine.
To help you appreciate the criminal justice process from the outset we watched in class '24 Hours in Police Custody'. This helped you to understand the role of the police in investigating crime and in charging someone with an offence. As a follow on from this here is a youtube video made by the Crown Prosecution Service explaining their role. In the video you are shown the inside of a Crown Court, where juries sit to listen to the evidence to help them decide on the verdict (of guilty or not guilty) in a serious case, and where the witnesses, judge and lawyers are positioned.
You should also understand the appeal structure and which courts can hear appeals and what grounds there are for an appeal.
The Topic also includes TWO types of important 'LAY' persons that work in the Criminal Justice system in England and Wales:-
MAGISTRATES
and
JURORS
Lay persons are not qualified in law and are unpaid. Magistrates are volunteers in the system, but Jurors are not and are summonsed to appear at court and perform the role of being a juror as a civic duty. Failure to respond to a summons can result in a fine.
To help you appreciate the criminal justice process from the outset we watched in class '24 Hours in Police Custody'. This helped you to understand the role of the police in investigating crime and in charging someone with an offence. As a follow on from this here is a youtube video made by the Crown Prosecution Service explaining their role. In the video you are shown the inside of a Crown Court, where juries sit to listen to the evidence to help them decide on the verdict (of guilty or not guilty) in a serious case, and where the witnesses, judge and lawyers are positioned.