the judiciary - topic 5 - paper 1 and 2

Question 1

what are a group of judges called?

Answer 1

judiciary

Question 2

what’s the judiciary’s function?

Answer 2

make decisions in respect of disputes

Question 3

who are the three superior judges?

Answer 3

justices of supreme court
lord justices of appeal
high court judges

Question 4

who is the head of the judiciary?

Answer 4

lord chief justice

Question 5

who are the inferior judges and which courts do they sit in?

Answer 5

circuit judges - crown and county court
recorders - crown court and some in the county court
district judges - county court
magistrates - magistrates courts
tribunal judges - magistrates court

Question 6

what acts of parliament govern what qualifications are required for the different judicial posts?

Answer 6

courts and legal services act 1990
courts and enforcement act 2007

Question 7

what did the constitutional reform act 2005 establish?

Answer 7

judicial appointments commission which deals with selection of judges

Question 8

who officially appoints judges?

Answer 8

the queen/ king

Question 9

what type of cases do judges hear in the supreme court?

Answer 9

appeals in civil or criminal cases

Question 10

when can a case be appealed to the supreme court?

Answer 10

if a point of law is involved

Question 11

why must judges in the supreme court sit as an uneven number?

Answer 11

so that if two people disagree there can be a majority

Question 12

what do the lords justices of appeal do?

Answer 12

hear appeals from criminal and civil cases

Question 13

how many applications for leave to appeal do the lord justices of appeal hear each year?

Answer 13

7,000

Question 14

how many of these appeals are successful? how many criminal appeals does the court of appeal hear each year?

Answer 14

1/4 successful
around 1,800

Question 15

how many civil appeals are heard each year?

Answer 15

3,000

Question 16

how many judges hear cases in civil courts?

Answer 16

3

Question 17

what is the main function of high court judges?

Answer 17

to try cases

Question 18

explain what high court judges do when trying a case

Answer 18

hear evidence from a witness
decide what the law is
decide which side has won the case

Question 19

when hearing cases of first instance how many high court judges sit and hear the case?

Answer 19

1

Question 20

what sort of appeals do high court judges hear and how many judges generally hear the appeal?

Answer 20

mainly civil case appeals
1

Question 21

why might judges from the high court sit in the crown court?

Answer 21

to hear criminal trials and assist the jury

Question 22

what do circuit judges do?

Answer 22

hear civil cases in the county court
try criminal cases in the crown court
decide law and facts
make the decision of who has won
criminal cases - sit with a jury
when d is found or pleads guilty - decided the sentence

Question 23

recorders

Answer 23

part time judges
appointed for 5 years
used mainly in the crown court to try criminal cases
some sit in county court for civil cases

Question 24

district judges

Answer 24

sit in county court
deal with small claims cases (under £10,000)
hear other cases for larger amount

Question 25

district judges magistrates court

Answer 25

try criminal cases in magistrates court
sit on their own
decide facts and law
when d pleads guilty they decide on a sentence