LAY PEOPLE

LAY PEOPLE

MAGISTRATES
1. Advantages
  1. Bench of 3 means less bias
  2. Cheaper than a professional judge
  3. Allows public to involved
  4. Expertise of Clerk, can guide them
2. Appointment
  1. Nominated to Local Advisory Committee
    1. 2 stage interview
      1. Then recomended to Lord Chancellor
      2. 2. Senario based interview
      3. 1. Character interview
    2. Nomination/Apply to advert
3. Disqualification
  1. Work with police/Married to a police officer
  2. Past convictions
  3. Deaf
  4. Bankrupt
4. Qualification
  1. Lord Chancellors 6 key qualities
  2. avaliable 26 half days per year
  3. Age 18-65 (serve till 70)
5. Disadvantages
  1. inconsistencies of sentencing
  2. Make up of bench
    1. middle aged/Middle class
  3. Biased towards police
  4. Too much reliance on clerk
6. Training
  1. Self management
    1. Time keeping / administration
  2. Teamwork
  3. Organised by Judical Training Board
7. Role
  1. Hear over 95% of criminal cases
    1. Sumary/Low level either way
  2. Maximum sentence - 12 month/5k fine
  3. Advised by Clerk of court
JURIES
1. Qualification
  1. Age 18-69
  2. UK resident 5+ years
  3. Electoral register
2. Disqualification
  1. Armed forces
  2. Mentally disordered
  3. served a prison term
    1. 5 years or less - 10 years disqualified
    2. 5 years + - Disqualified for life
3. Role
  1. Hear evidence in court
    1. Decide verdict
      1. Burden of proof - Beyond reasonable doubt
    2. secrecy
      1. breach of rules is a crime - Contempt of court
      2. 1. jurors cant discuss outside jury room
      3. 2. Not research the case
      4. 3. can't make contact with anyone involved
  2. unanimous vote (10:2)
4. Selection at court
  1. Police checks
    1. Anyone - Widely carried out
  2. Backround Checks
    1. Only when national security is a concern
      1. Authorised by Lord Chancellor - Rare
  3. Randomised at court
    1. 15 taken in - 3 randomly taken out
    2. Challenging
      1. To the array
        If jury looks unbalanced
      2. For cause
        To do with Juror
5. Advantages
  1. Decide on conscience not law
  2. Unlikely 12 can be bribed
  3. Fundamental to open justice - 'Trail by peers'
6. Disadvantages
  1. perverse decisions
  2. juries dont explain verdict
  3. Expensive
  4. Time consuming

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	Created by jodieprickett almost 9 years ago