CLP Flashcards
Which of the following is not a key part of the criminal justice process as discussed in this element?
Arrest
Plea
The prevention of crime
Appeal
Trial
The prevention of crime
Correct. The key elements of the criminal justice process discussed in this element were: arrest/ requisition, plea, trial, sentencing and appeals. The prevention of crime is more of a matter for criminology studies but does become a factor when sentencing someone found guilty of a crime.
All of the following bodies can bring prosecutions. However, which of the following is the main body which brings prosecutions in England and Wales?
Transport for London
Crown Prosecution Service
Private individuals
Health and safety executive
Railway operators
Crown Prosecution Service
Correct. Other bodies such as Transport for London, railway operators and the Health and Safety Executive prosecute their own matters. Private individuals can bring prosecutions too but the CPS has the right to intervene and take over such cases.
What is the main statute that governs police conduct in criminal investigations?
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Governance of Police Powers Act 1984
Police Powers Act 1984
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Correct. Commonly known as ‘PACE’ which is accompanied by Codes of Practice.
What does trial on indictment mean?
Trial by magistrates in a magistrates’ court
Trial by jury in the Crown Court
Trial by jury in a magistrates’ court
Trial by jury in the Crown Court
Correct. Either-way offences and indictable only offences can be heard before a jury.
What are the three classifications of offences?
Property offences, fatal offences and non-fatal offences against the person
Low, medium and high
Summary, either-way and indictable only
Summary, either-way and indictable only
Correct. Either-way offences are also known as ‘indictable’ as they are capable of being tried on indictment.
If the statute provides a maximum penalty on summary conviction but does not provide for a penalty on conviction on indictment, what type of offence is it?
Either-way offence
Indictable offence
Summary offence
Summary offence
Correct. Reading the statute is one of the ways to determine the classification of an offence.
If the statute provides one penalty for summary conviction and a different one for conviction on indictment, what type of offence is it?
Summary
Either-way
Indictable only
Either-way
Correct. A close reading of the statute is one way to tell whether an offence is either-way. An offence can also be either-way if listed in Schedule 1, Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.
If the statute provides only for a penalty on conviction on indictment or is a common-law offence what type of offence is it?
Indictable-only
Either-way
Summary
Indictable-only
Correct. Reading the statute and knowledge of the common-law offences helps determine the classification of offences.
Which judges can sit in a summary trial?
Lay justices, District Judges or Deputy District Judges
Lay justices
District Judges
Lay justices or District Judges
Lay justices, District Judges or Deputy District Judges
Correct. Lay justices (also known as Justices of the Peace), District Judges (a salaried judge) or a Deputy District Judge (a solicitor or barrister with a part-time judicial post) can conduct trials in the magistrates’ court.
What is the function of a jury in a Crown Court trial?
Tribunal of fact
Sums up the case
Tribunal of law
Tribunal of fact
Correct. There are certain circumstances in which the judge may also act as a tribunal of fact such as when hearing a submission of no case to answer, a voir dire or a Newton hearing which will be considered in separate elements.
How are the roles of tribunal of fact and tribunal of law dealt with in the magistrates’ court?
The magistrates are the tribunal of law, there is no tribunal of fact
The magistrates are the tribunal of fact and the legal advisor is the tribunal of law
The magistrates are the tribunal of fact and tribunal of law
The magistrates are the tribunal of fact and tribunal of law
Correct. This is arguably an unsatisfactory position when the magistrates make a ruling of law that certain evidence is inadmissible but hear the evidence in order to make that decision. In contrast, in the Crown court it would be the judge that would make a ruling of law that certain evidence is inadmissible and the jury would never hear the evidence.
How many Crown Courts are there in England and Wales?
More than 20
Less than 10
One
10-19
One
Correct. The Crown Court is regarded as a single court that sits in different places.
Which of the following correctly sets out the position regarding accepting third party instructions to represent a client at the police station?
You can only accept instructions from the client or someone properly authorised to provide instructions on their behalf.
You can only accept instructions from the client.
You can only accept instructions from the police officer in charge of the case.
You can only accept instructions from the client or someone properly authorised to provide instructions on their behalf.
Correct. This can include a relative or family member of the person who is being detained in police custody. You should contact the police station and ask to speak with the client to confirm that they wish to instruct you and ensure they have not asked for another solicitor or the duty solicitor to act on their behalf.
Which of the following correctly sets out the position you should take if a conflict of interest arises between clients?
If there is a conflict of interests between clients, or a risk of one, you must obtain written authority to continue to act for both of them.
If there is a conflict of interests between clients, or a risk of one, you must not act for all, or possibly any, of them.
If there is a conflict of interests between clients, or a risk of one, you must continue to act for both of them but make them aware of the conflict.
If there is a conflict of interests between clients, or a risk of one, you must not act for all, or possibly any, of them.
Correct. You must not act for two clients if there is a conflict, or risk of conflict. You would not be able to act in either client’s best interests if a conflict arises. Please see the Law Society Practice Note on Conflicts of Interest.
Which of the following correctly sets out the position regarding your duties of confidentiality and disclosure?
The duty of disclosure always overrides the duty of confidentiality.
The duty of confidentiality always overrides the duty of disclosure.
The duty of disclosure sometimes overrides the duty of confidentiality.
The duty of confidentiality sometimes overrides the duty of disclosure.
The duty of confidentiality always overrides the duty of disclosure.
Correct. Confidentiality always overrides disclosure but if you are unable to disclose important information to a client because of your duty of confidentiality then you will need to cease to act for the client as you will be unable to act in that client’s best interests.
Your client’s case is set for trial and they have told you that they are guilty of the offence. Which of the following correctly sets out your position?
You can continue to represent the client but only if they change their plea to guilty.
You can continue to represent the client, but you cannot advance a positive case.
You can continue to represent the client and put forward a defence.
You can continue to represent the client, but you cannot advance a positive case.
Correct. You owe a duty not to mislead the court. You can continue to act even if your client has told you that they are guilty of the offence but only if you or your client do not try to put forward a case in your client’s defence
You represent a man suspected of the offence of battery and is charged with common assault. He is currently out of work and so receives welfare benefits.
Which of the following best explains whether you client is eligible for public funding?
He will pass the means test if he can show that his income and capital are below a certain limit.
He will automatically pass the means test because he is in receipt of welfare benefits but he must also pass the merits test to be eligible.
He will have to pass both the means test and the merits test in order to be granted public funding.
He will automatically qualify for public funding because he is in receipt of welfare benefits.
He will receive public funding because the offence of battery is an imprisonable offence.
He will automatically pass the means test because he is in receipt of welfare benefits but he must also pass the merits test to be eligible.
correct
He is passported through the means test because of his receipt of welfare benefits, but he will still have to show that it is in the interests of justice for him to receive public funding for his defence.
The other answers are plausible but incorrect:
- He does not need to pass the means test – he automatically passes it
- He won’t automatically qualify for public funding because he still has to pass the merits test
- Whether the offence is imprisonable or not is not a deciding factor.
Your client has been charged with burglary. She is in receipt of benefits and therefore is passported through the means test. You are assisting your client in completing the CRM 14 form.
She informs you that she has numerous convictions for burglary, including one last year when she was given a suspended sentence. She denies the offence and says she has an alibi. However, your client is worried about what the arresting officer will say. The arresting officer said she had admitted the offence on arrest, when she did not say anything. She’s also worried about her daughter who is only 12 and will be left on her own if she is sent to prison.
Which of these is not a matter to include in the CRM 14 form?
An alibi witness will need to be traced and interviewed
The proceedings will involve the cross examination of a police officer
It is in the interests of her daughter that she is represented
She has been given a sentence that is suspended which will be activated if she is convicted of the current offence
She is likely to lose her liberty
It is in the interests of her daughter that she is represented
For the purposes of the merits/ interests of justice test, the interests of another person does not include family members impacted by a sentence.
Your client is a university professor who lives alone and earns £90,000. He is suspected of the offence of battery on a student and is charged with common assault. He is due to appear before the magistrates’ court He has no previous offences and intends to plead not guilty.
Is your client likely to obtain a representation order that grants public funding for his defence?
He will not obtain a representation order because he is not in receipt of benefits
He will obtain a representation order because it is likely he will lose his livelihood
He will not obtain a representation order as will fail the means test
He will not obtain a representation order because it is not in the interests of justice that he be represented
He will obtain a representation order because it is likely that he will suffer serious damage to his reputation
He will not obtain a representation order as will fail the means test
In light of the university professor’s salary and the size of his household (he lives alone) he will be ineligible for public funding because his weighted gross annual income will be above the upper threshold i.e. £22, 325.
The other answers while plausible are incorrect:
· While he will suffer serious damage to his reputation, might lose his livelihood and therefore it might be in the interests of justice that he be represented, he will not pass the means test.
· While he is not in receipt of benefits that does not mean he will automatically fail the means test.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of common assault by battery. He is a professional football player earning £180,000 per year. It is alleged that the man punched a photographer who was trying to take a picture of him whilst he was having a drink with a woman in a bar. The man has never been in trouble with the police before.
Will the man be entitled to publicly funded legal representation in connection with the defence of his case?
A. The man will not be eligible for publicly funded legal representation by the duty solicitor at the police station because he will fail the means test.
B. The man will be eligible for publicly funded legal representation by the duty solicitor at the police station and at all hearings up to and including sentence.
C.The man will be eligible for publicly funded legal representation by the duty solicitor at the police station limited to telephone advice only.
D.The man will be eligible for publicly funded legal representation by the duty solicitorat the police station. He will also be able to get a representation order in the magistrates’ court provided that he passes the interests of justice test, because there is no means test in the magistrates’ court.
E. The man will be eligible for publicly funded legal representation by the duty solicitor at the police station. He will not be able to get a representation order in the magistrates’ court, because even if he passes the interests of justice test, he will fail the means test which applies in the magistrates’ court.
E. The man will be eligible for publicly funded legal representation by the duty solicitor at the police station. He will not be able to get a representation order in the magistrates’ court, because even if he passes the interests of justice test, he will fail the means test which applies in the magistrates’ court.
A – everyone gets funding at police station
B – “at all hearings including …” is wrong – only at the police station!
C – not limited to telephone advice because it is an imprisonable offence
D – there is a means test
What is the status of the rules of conduct on police powers in criminal courts?
The codes are admissible in evidence in criminal proceedings only
The codes are admissible in evidence in criminal or civil proceedings
The codes are inadmissible in evidence in criminal or civil proceedings
The codes are admissible in evidence in civil proceedings only
The codes are admissible in evidence in criminal or civil proceedings
Correct. Subject to relevance, the PACE Codes of Practice are admissible in evidence in criminal or civil proceedings.
What does a custody officer do?
Advises on charge
Arrests the suspect
Authorises detention and release from detention at a police station
Authorises detention and release from detention at a police station
Correct. A custody officer must be appointed for each designated police station and must be of the rank of at least sergeant. The custody officer is also responsible for ensuring that the detainee is treated in accordance with PACE 1984 and the Codes of Practice, noting down all the required matters on the custody record.
(but not review of detention: Reviews of detention —the review officer who is at least the rank of inspector and not the custody officer, must be satisfied that detention is still necessary)
For how long may the police keep a suspect of an indictable offence in custody prior to charge before applying for a warrant of further detention?
24 hours
72 hours
48 hours
96 hours
36 hours
36 hours
Correct. Where the offence being investigated is indictable, the time limit can be extended up to a maximum of 36 hours after the relevant time by an officer of the rank of Superintendent or above. Thereafter the maximum period of detention without charge can be extended by the magistrates’ court up to a maximum of 96 hours after the relevant time.
What rights will a detainee be told of by the custody officer?
The right to consult privately with a solicitor and the right to free independent legal advice
The right to consult privately with a solicitor, the right to free independent legal advice and the right to a telephone call
The right to consult privately with a solicitor, the right to free independent legal advice and the right to have someone informed of their arrest
The right to consult privately with a solicitor, the right to free independent legal advice and the right to have someone informed of their arrest
Correct. The right to legal advice can be delayed in certain circumstances.