Court jurisdiction Flashcards
Magistrates are either…
- Legally qualified District judges
- Non-legally qualified lay magistrates who sit in groups of 3
Magistrate court jurisdiction
- Summary cases
- Triable either way cases
- First hearing of indictable cases
- Youth court cases
- Preliminary matters attached to criminal cases
Crown Court Jurisdiction
All indictable offences and some triable either way offences
Who hears pre-trial matters at the Crown Court and cases where a D pleads guilty?
a single judge
What will happen when a D pleads not guilty in Crown Court?
A jury will decide the verdict
What will a judge do during a jury trial?
- control the court
- direct the jury on law and evidence
- impose a sentence if there is a guilty verdict
County court jurisdiction
most civil claims of up to £100,000 in value, or £50,000 in personal injury
Hearings in County court
- heard in an open court
- heard by a single judge who will make a decision on liability and compensation based on the evidence and legal arguments presented to them in court
What court is part of the County Court?
Small Claims Court
What claims do the Small Claims Court consider?
less than £10,000 or £1,000 in personal injury claims
High Court jurisdiction
more than £100,000 in value- more than £50,000 in personal injury claims- or/and complex points of law
