Role of courts

Question 1

Determine guilt

Answer 1

• The court will hear all the arguments and evidence and will then decide if the defendant is guilty or not of committing a crime
• For example, in 2022 the jury in the High Court found William MacDowell guilty of killing Renee and Andrew MacRae

Question 2

Punish

Answer 2

• After it has been decided the defendant is guilty the judge in the court will decide how the criminal should be punished. They will take into account many things such as previous history
• For example, after William MacDowell was found guilty of murdering two people the judge sentenced him to a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years

Question 3

Provide Justice

Answer 3

• The court makes sure the right person is convicted and their victim or people close to the victim know the court system has done everything it can to do right for those who have been harmed
• For example, when William McDowell was convicted of murder it provided justice to Renee’s other living son