Public Law - Courts

Question 1

What is the Lord Chancellor responsible for and what duties does he owe?

Answer 1

For administration of course system and is SoS for Justice
Has legal duty to uphold independence of judiciary and must not seek to influence judicial decisions

Question 2

Who is the Lord Chief Justice and what is their role?

Answer 2

Head of Judiciary
Represents views of judiciary, responsible for welfare, training and guidance of judiciary and for deploying judges/allocating work

Question 3

What is ‘Right of Audience’?

Answer 3

The right of a lawyer to appear and conduct proceedings in court on behalf of their client
They can carry out rights in MC, County Court, Tribunals & Appeal Tribunals
Not authorised for higher courts where barristers do

Question 4

What is the court hierarchy of criminal courts?

Answer 4

MC
Crown Court
Administrative Court
Court of Appeal
Supreme Court

Question 5

What is the appeal system for civil cases?

Answer 5

District Judge (County)
Circuit Judge (County)
High Court
Court of Appeal
Supreme COurt

Question 6

What is ‘leapfrog’ appeal?

Answer 6

Cases of high importance, which are very likely to reach Supreme Court, can bypass CoA to save time and costs

Question 7

What are the ‘senior courts’?

Answer 7

Crown Court, High Court, CoA and Supreme Court

Question 8

What are High Court judges known as?

Answer 8

Masters

Question 9

What is the meaning of ‘stare deisis’?

Answer 9

Binding precedent

Question 10

Is the Supreme Court bound by its previous decisions?

Answer 10

Yes, but it can depart from them when it appeared right to do so.