Intro Flashcards
Defendant
Alleged wrongdoer
Victim
Person who D has allegedly committed the action against
Lawyer
A person who studies law
Eg Barristers, solicitors
Solicitor
A lawyer who specialises in advocacy and litigation
Solicitor
A lawyer who specialises in giving legal advice and guidance.
They also instruct barristers
Judge
Senior lawyer that decides the severance in criminal cases and sometimes facts and decisions in civil cases
Jury
12 members of the public who sit in the crown court and decide the verdict in criminal trials
Magistrate
Lay person who decides the facts , verdict and sentence in the Magistrate’s court in low to medium criminal acts
Appeal
Applying to a higher court to hear the case again or give a different sentence
Appellant
Person who is appealing
Appellate court
Courts that only hear appeals like Court of Appeals and Supreme Court
There are no juries in this court
Courts of first instance
Courts which hold the first hearing of trials eg magistrates and crown courts
Verdict/ held
Decision of guilty or not guilty
Actus reus
The guilty act
Men’s rea
The mental element of the crime
DPP /Director of Public Prosecutions
Head of the crown prosecution service.
They decide whether to prosecute a defendant
Attorney General/AG
Office above DPP they offer legal advice and send erroneous convictions to appeal courts
Acquit
To be found not guilty
Quashed
When D who was found guilty has been found not guilty on appeal
Sentence
Punishment of guilty party
Regina/Rex R
Head of the state
Sources of the law
Parliament
Judge made law (Judicial Precedent)
Civil law
System of law concerned with private relations between members of a community
Surname v Surname
Criminal law
System of law concerned with the punishment of offenders
R v D Surname
Civil court structure
County court
High court
Court of appeal
Supreme Court
Criminal court structure
Magistrates court
Crown court
High court
Court of appeal
Supreme Court
