magistrates

Question 1

what are magistrates

Answer 1

volunteers who serve in the magistrates courts
18-75 yrs old
no legal qualifications

Question 2

disctric judges

Answer 2

hear criminal cases, youth cases and some civil
hear cases alone

Question 3

6 qualitities

Answer 3

good character
coommitment
social awareness
sound judgement
understanding
maturity

Question 4

training

Answer 4

mandatory training
supported in court by legal advisor

Question 5

appointment

Answer 5

selected by 47 local advisory committees
excludes police officers, traffic wardens, armed forces

Question 6

justices clerk

Answer 6

senior lawyer to magistracy
required to be a solicitor or barrister of 5 years
advices and guides magistrates

Question 7

criminal jurisdiction

Answer 7

summary offences
triable either way

Question 8

civil jurisdiction

Answer 8

grating licenses to betting shops
youth courts for 10-17

Question 9

role of the judiciary

Answer 9

provides impartial conflict resolution
judicial review
speration of powers

Question 10

who are the judiciary

Answer 10

head- president of courts of england and wales
president is also lord chief justice

Question 11

judicial hierarchy

Answer 11

12 justices of supreme court
38 lord justices of appeal
criminal division lord chief justice
civil division master of the rolls
108 high court judges

Question 12

judges

Answer 12

circuit- county courts and some crown courts
district- magistrates
recorders- barristers or soliciors who hear less serious crown court cases

Question 13

appointment before 2005

Answer 13

house of lords and CofA- queen on the advice of the prime minister
high court, circuit and recorders- queen on advice from lord chancellor

Question 14

current procedure

Answer 14

judicial appointment commission
tribunals, court and enforcement act 2007- broadens candidate pool
assessment replaced job interview
JAC recommends and evaluates candidates

Question 15

termination of appointment

Answer 15

dismissal- only by monarch and petition from both houses
discipline- judical conduct and investigations office
resignation- serious misbehavior
retirement- at 70
removal- disables or incapacitated

Question 16

independence of judicary

Answer 16

seperation of powers
impartiality
security of tenure
independent decision making
free from pressure by government

Question 17

criticisms of the judiciary

Answer 17

background, race, ethnicity
training- little/non
non-judicial
narrow background- out of touch with real world
cases with political implicatopns are defended- birmingham six case
right wing bias
bias against women