Legal System of England FK1 Flashcards
What is a legal system
Body of institution that make, execute and resolve disputes on the law of the jurisdiction
What is a jurisdiction
A political entity where a particular law has application
What are the 3 components of a legal system
- There is the constitution of the country
- Contributing cultural and historical factors
- Unofficial and popular elements which influence the society’s conventions
What are some common elements of a legal system
- A relationship between central and local government
- The leadership of a dominant body of people who control the levers of power, and who set the agenda for the operation of the system
- influence of geography
- Military events
- Religion
- Popular unrest
- Technology etc
How does Lord Bingham define the Rule of Law
all persons and authorities within the state, whether public or private, should be bound by and entitled to the benefit of laws publicly and prospectively promulgated and publicly administered in the courts
What are Lord Bingham’s essential components of the rule of law
- the law must be clear and predictable
- exercise of discretion to be subordinate to the exercise of law
- we should all be equal before the law
- state should have safety net for settlement of matters which private parties and individuals were unable to resolve
- state should adhere to international as well as national obligations
Why is the rule of law in England & Wales integral to the effective governance of the UK
- It provides certainty to foreigners and nationals - UK is an international centre for democratic principles, trade and justice
- It purports to treat people equally
- It proceeds reference to rules, precedent and law
What are the factors that the UK considers with regard to international law
- UK takes pride in its position in the world
- International law should be considered as an adjunct to the legal system of E & W, not superior
- International agreements often promise more than they deliver
- Rule of law must remain paramount, regardless of international perspective
The common law of England was largely created in the period after the Norman Conquest of 1066. What insight did this give us on how a legal system operates
- Rules and customs
- Chain of command - ie King, officials, those representing his inner circle
- Records / report kept
- Time and place, ie hearings and venue
What was The Magna Carta of 1215
the first document in which reference is made to English and Welsh law alongside one another, including the principle of the common acceptance of the lawful judgement of peers
What are some of the most significant parts of the Magna Carta document
Clause 38 - no official shall put a defendant on trial on unsupported self-incriminatory statements alone, ie burden of proof lies with prosecutor
Clause 39 - there shall be punishment only within the law of the land
Clause 40 - justice shall not be sold, delayed or denied
Following the Magna Carta the legal system in E&W adopted in embryo important concepts, what are they
- the involvement of the monarch and other elements in society
- acceptance of the rule of law
- importance of commercial interests
- existence of courts & their officials
- dissatisfaction amongst key elements of the population
When is the earliest recorded act of parliament
1497 - taking of apprentices for wool-making in Norfolk
How was legislation created
Representatives of society would ingather in Parliament > discussions took place > laws would be drafted and approved by monarch > Royal assent given
The Bill of Rights 1688 is an important pillar of the UK constitution and a foundation of the legal system. What does it represent
- A further restriction on the power of the monarchy - contributed to the development of the Parliament
- sets tone in preamble by stating it was an Act ‘declaring the rights and liberties of the subject’
- includes reference to freedom of speech, existence of juries, cruel / unusual punishment and requirement for free elections to Parliament
- reinforces rule of law
How did the legal system develop in the 1800s
- Parliament was developing
- industrialisation created alot of discontent amongst the poor
- Protests took place in Peterloo near Manchester against poverty, 18 died
- force of underclasses prompted reform of representative democracy via Representation of People Acts 1832, 1867 and 1884
What did the Representation of People Acts 1832, 1867 and 1884 do
Greater proportion of the population (ie men) were electing members of parliament & contributing to legislation being created - ability of general public to influence operation of parliament / legal system has increased dramatically
When did the UK join the EU
1 May 1973
What percentage of people voted in favour of the EU and when was the referendum
67% / 5 June 1975
Which Act anticipated the ULK’s membership into the EU and provided for UK’s institutions taking note of EU law
European Communities Act 1972
Why did a slim majority of people vote to leave the EU than remain at the referendum
People felt that the EU’s intrusion was threatening to the lives of people in the UK
Why is there a combined legal system for England & Wales and not Scotland?
Historical reasons. In 1707 Scotland was comfortable with its own legal culture
What is the difference between criminal law and civil law
Civil law involves agreements and mainly private resolutions, whilst criminal law involves punishment
What are the different elements of civil law matters
- contracts
- disputes
- differences where the outcome is measured in remedies or the payment of monies
- decision in court is based on the balance of probabilities
What are different elements of criminal law matters
- imposes restrictions & obligations on the population
- outcome is measured in punishment for transgressions, ie beyond reasonable doubt
- ultimate penalty is loss of freedom through imprisonment
What are the key ingredients of the criminal law process that remain integral to prosecutions today
- must be an action which is forbidden by society by statute or other law
- victim
- importance of evidence
- requirement of proof
- finding of guilt
- punitive resolution
What is the role of the police in the UK
Arresting suspects, bringing them before courts and facilitating withdrawal of liberties
Policing in the UK is by consent. True or false
True
When and how was policing in London given official form
Metropolitan Police Act 1829 - subject to the jurisdiction of central government and the Home Office
Outside of London, who controls police activities
Local authorities
What 3 pieces of legislation governs the behaviour of police
- Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
- Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
- Policing and Crime Act 2017
When and how was the broadcasting company the BBC formed
By way of a Royal Charter in 1927
How is the BBC financed
Through licence fees payable by households throughout the UK
What are the attributes of the BBC to reinforce its importance
- has a commitment to impartial broadcasting
- regularly reports events in parliament
- holds Government / Her Majesty’s Official Opposition to account through its reporting and current affairs programmes
Each of these elements are important in fine tuning the legal system / constitution
What is the UK constitution
- Guides the interplay between the various elements of society
- uncodified in that it’s located across different sources, so it’s not written as such
- levers of constitutionality are operated through the monarch, Parliament and the courts
What do some of the constitutional steps involve
- written word
- precedent
- custom
- prerogative
- convention
- role of the Church of England
- armed forces
Acts of Parliament are primary legislation. What are examples of secondary legislation
- Statutory Instrument (SI)
- bylaws for local councils and authorities
- Church of England Measures
Name 3 elements of statues
- Important because they convey in their purest form the will of the people, who have elected the House of Commons to run Government on their behalf
- have scope through their impact on society
- have judicial relevance because courts take delight in interpreting them
Statues have been existence since Norman times. What is the oldest statute still in force
Statute of Marlborough 1267 - relates to judicial nature of damages
How many pages did Parliament pass legislation in 1911
760
How many pages did Parliament legislation in 2006
14,580
Acts of Parliament only cover a small range of matters. True or fale
False - they range across the widest possible landscape
Parliament consists of…
- Queen
- House of Commons (democratically elected)
- House of Lords (which is not)
Both Houses also create Acts of Parliament
Before Acts are created, the Government will usually create a Green Paper and a White Paper. What are they
Green paper - consultation document on possible new law
White paper - incorporates Governmemt’s firm’s proposals for the new law
What happens once green paper and white paper have been published
- An Act will then begin via a document known as a Bill
- once it’s gone through scrutiny / debate etc it become an Act of Parliament
Why is debate so important
It is an essential aspect of democracy
What are the 8 stages for the creation of an Act of Parliament
- House of Commons - First Reading
- Second Reading
- Committee Stage
- Report Stage
- Third Reading
- Proceedings in the House of Lords
- Amendments by Lords
- Royal Assent
What happens at the First Reading
Bill is drafted and given first reading in HoC, which consists of 650 MPs. The title is read out and the Bill is printed and published
What happens at the Second Reading
- Detailed debate by MPs in the chamber of the Commons on the various sections of the Bill
- Government minister responsible for Bill, open debates & oversee Bill’s passage through various stages
- HoC will vote on parts of the Bill as necessary
What happens at the Committee Stage
- Bills referred to Committee of Whole House / standing committee, who will scrutinise Bill clause by clause and make any amendments
- Chairman has power to decide which amendments should be discussed
What happens at Report Stage
- House will vote on any proposed amendments suggested in committee
- might be a debate similar to committee stage
- Speaker can select the amendments to be debated
What happens at the Third Reading
- to consider Bill as amended but usually debate if brief
- final opportunity to vote although MPs often don’t do so
What happens during proceedings in the House of Lords
- follows the same various stages
- At Third Reading it must return to Commons for any amendments to be approved
- in extreme situations, Commons can bypass Lords if they reject a Bill under Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 > Speaker will certify that conditions of s2 of 1911 Act have been met