Theme C Flashcards
What is a law?
- A law is a set of rules that govern how we spend our everyday lives. They set out rules that people in society must follow and serve many roles
Give three examples of how laws affect our everyday lives
- Must study English and Maths till 16
- Cannot drive without a license
- Must be over 18 if wanting to purchase alcohol or tobacco
Why are laws needed in society?
- To settle disputes
- To protect the public
- To ensure that there’s fair treatment amongst all in society
- To help change negative behaviour
Give situations in which law has had to develop in order to combat and reflect changing situations
- Terrorism
- Scientific discoveries
- New technologies
- Changing values
Give three examples of laws that provide a certain age limit
- Driving
- Sex
- Joining the army
What is the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales?
- 10 years old (if u don’t know that you’re cooked)
- What are some threats of the rule of law ‘access to justice’?
- Cuts to the funding of legal aid
- Closures of many courts
How is the legal system in Scotland and Northern Ireland different to England and Wales?
- Scotland is based off of ‘Roman law’, which has different areas to UK, such as having a third option of ‘not proven’
- NI has its own assembly, which can pass laws by itself, although some of their laws have come from UK parliament
What is criminal law and some examples of crime?
- Laws that maintain order and protect society as a whole
- Murder, theft, arson
What is civil law and some examples of disputes?
- It’s purpose is to settle disputes between groups or individuals
- Property disputes, divorce, work related disputes
Roles and powers of the police
- Keep the public safe, by preventing, deterring and investigating crime
- Power to stop and search, arrest and enter premises and to detain and charge people
Roles and powers of judges
- Keeping charge and overhearing court cases, before providing a sentence by interpreting law
- Power to apply law and give sentence, whilst also setting precedent
Roles and powers of magistrates
- Tasked with hearing cases in Magistrates’ courts, with the help of legal advisers, before applying a sentence
- Have the power to hear the case, before applying a sentence of transferring case over to a crown court
Roles and powers of solicitors and barristers
- Make the legal system fair
- Provide legal advice or act on behalf of their client when in court
Roles and responsibilities of jurors
- They are people who sit and observe a court case, before deciding on the outcome of the defendant
- They are randomly selected, before serving and making a verdict
Roles and responsibilities of members of a tribunal hearing
- Sit as a panel, observing the hearing before deciding on an outcome, often fines or compensation