The Justice System Flashcards
(13 cards)
What are the five parts of the justice system
The police
The judiciary
Legal representatives
Criminal and civil law courts
Tribunals and dispute resolution
What is the role of the police? How are they held accountable? Who is in charge?
- Uphold the law firmly and fairly (don’t abuse powers)
- Prevent crime
- Protect, help and reassure community
- Protecting life and property
- Bringing offenders to justice
- Gather evidence, arrest suspects
- directly elected p+c commissioners
- police commissioners
- chief constables (highest ranking officer in REGIONAL police force)
What are the police’s 3 powers? What extent of evidence do they need? What rights/rules are there?
Stop and search: need ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect that someone is carrying illegal drugs, weapons, stolen property or something that could be used to commit a crime.
Power of arrest: need reasonable grounds to suspect crime involvement for which an arrest is necessary, any place, any time, must tell the suspect why.
Entry, search and seizure: to arrest someone or seize items in connection with a crime, usually need to obtain a warrant from court first, seize anything if they have reasonable grounds
What is the role of the judiciary
- Administer justice according to the law
- Pass sentences in criminal cases
- Make decisions in civil law cases
What are the powers of the judiciary
- Interpret the law
- control hearings and trials in their courtroom
- determine sentencing (within published sentencing guidelines)
- influence debate and discussion
- decide relevance/reliability of evidence
What are the three main branches of legal profession
Legal executives
Solicitors
Barristers
Role of judges (6)
- Interpret and apply the law
- Decide sentencing
- Create case (common) law
- preside over court proceedings
- chair public inquiries and commissions
- Protect the citizens from an overbearing state
What does it mean to preside over court proceedings
ensure court follows rules, ensure fairness
provide guidance or advice to a jury on the evidence and law
What does it mean to chair public inquiries and commissions
(judges can do this as they are impartial)
Senior judges or officials lead investigations into major issues, such as government decisions or public scandals.
What does it mean to protect citizens from an overbearing state
If a citizen has a complaint about the power of the state the judiciary is an independent body that can make a fair decision
What are Barristers?
graduates who become specialists in narrow aspects of the law and are employed by solicitors on behalf of their clients to represent them
what are solicitors
law graduates who cover a range of legal work, both criminal and civil
what are legal executives
legally qualified specialists employed by solicitors
