Basic Introduction Key Terms Flashcards
Define ‘defendant’
The alleged wrongdoer
Define ‘victim’
The person who the defendant allegedly committed the act against
Define ‘lawyer’
A person who practices or studies law
Define ‘barrister’
Lawyer who specialises in advocacy and litigation
Define ‘solicitor’
Lawyer who specialises in giving legal advice and guidance. They also instruct barristers
Define ‘judge’
Senior lawyer appointed to decide the sentence in criminal cases and the facts and decisions in trials in civil cases
Define ‘jury’
12 members of the public who sit in the crown court and decide the verdict in criminal trials
Define ‘magistrate’
A member of the public with no legal qualifications that decides the facts ,verdict and sentence in the magistrate’s court on low to medium crimes
Define ‘appeal’
If either party of a case is not happy with a decision in court , they appeal to a higher court to hear the case again or give a different sentence
Define ‘appellant’
The person appealing
Define ‘appellate court’
Court which only hears appeals
Define ‘courts of first instance’
courts which hold the first hearings of trials
Define ‘verdict/held’
The decision of guilty or not guilty / liable or not liable
Define ‘acteus reus’
The guilty act. It’s a requirement for a crime to have been committed (in most cases)
Define ‘mens rea’
The mental element of a crime. Can’t be guilty without this in most cases.
Define ‘director of public prosecutions’
The head of the crown prosecution service . Decides whether to prosecute a defendant by evaluating the probability of a guilty verdict.
Define ‘attorney general’
The office above DPP. They offer legal advice and send erroneous sentences/convictions to the appeal courts.
Define ‘acquit’
To be found not guilty.
Define ‘Quashed’
When someone who was found guilty originally had been found not guilty on appeal
Define ‘ sentence ‘
Punishment of a guilty party
Define ‘Regina/Rex’
The head of state (queen / king )
State the two sources of law
Parliament creates ‘Acts’. These are statues which become law.
Judicial Precedent is judge made law and refers to decisions made in previous cases which create legal standing . These fill the gaps in statues
