Q1. What is a Judge ?
Normally a Judge wears a very traditional white wig, black gown. The Judge is the main person who takes in charge of the whole case. They also have to make it very clearly on what the case is and the Judge would settle arguments if the lawyers or witnesses get into a fight. However at the begging of the case the Judge has to tell the Jury what there part of the job they have to do in the case if they are “not guilty” or “guilty”. However a district judge is in a youth magistrates court this type of judge wont wear a traditional white wig and instead a traditional gown and wig.
Q2. What is a Magistrate ?
A magistrate in a court is, a unpaid civil and they do this as volunteer in there free time. At the end of the case they decided whether the criminal is “Guilty” or ” Not Guilty”. A Magistrate is the same thing as a Jury and is basically a more fancy word for it. The Magistrate only have to wear normal clothes and not gowns or wigs.
Q3.What is a Prosecution Barrister ?
A Prosecution Barrister is, in a crown court is to show that the defendant has broken the law. However depending on the case they have to where a black gown and a white wig. Also there role is to present enough evidence to show to the Jury and also asks the witness of their time in the events. But if the evidence is not convincing for the Jury they have to be given as “Not guilty” at the end of the case. More over to this Barrister lawyers are specialized in court level case. However in a magistrates court they can put a case forward to the Jury to prevent evidence against the defendant, to the district judge or magistrates directly. They have to wear a specialty robe and a wig witch is different to the Judge.
Q4. What is a Defence Barrister ?
The Defence Barrister role is to prove to the Judge and Jury that the person accused of the crime is “Not Guilty” so they do not have to prove any innocence. However they also have to make a argument with the Prosecution Barrister evidence is wrong within the case. A Defence barrister case arguments case is called “case for the Defence”.
Q5. What is a Clerk/ The Legal Advisor ?
In a magistrates court, the clerk sits at the front of the court to make sure that the magistrates have all the information during the trial. The clerk reads out what the type of charge is to the defendant to what the end of the trial and the summary of the law has been applied in the case.
Q6. What is a Jury ?
The Jury appears in the crown court and there is normally 12 people in the Jury. It is normally people who are chosen from a list who are eligible to vote in the UK elections. The Jury decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty. All of the Jury has to decide before the case begins to, know who the foreman is.
Q7. What is a Usher ?
A Usher responsibility to make sure that the trials runs smoothly. They make sure that the witnesses and the public know where to sit. However they also carry written questions from the jury to the judge. The usher will also announce for the courtroom to stand when they enter and also when they leave.
Q8. What is a Press/ Court reporters ?
The court wants to report work for either the local or national press, radio, Tv or online reports. However court reporters are band from taking any photographs within the courtroom. More over to this they are allowed to do sketch drawings and ask anyone for comment apart from magistrates.
Q9. What is a Public Gallery ?
In the Crown courts and Magistrate courts are mainly open to the public who sit in the gallery quietly and listen to the trial.
Q10. What is a witness ?
A witness is people who give evidence within the court for a trial therefore they are a witness in the trial, but this can also include police if they was at the time of the crime. However anyone who saw anything or saw something related to the crime they are apart of it. Every witness have to take an oath to tell the truth in the court. Also there is four different type of witness.
For example:
- A Defence witness court role is someone who is called by the defendant’s legal team to help give more evidence supporting the defendant as not committing the crime.
- A Prosecution witness is someone who is called by the prosecution’s legal team to give more evidence supporting the defendant committing the crime.
- A character witness is to help the jury know what type of person the defendant is.
- An expert witness is someone who is called to help the jury on a topic requiring expert knowledge.
Different type of courts :
- Crown court
A crown court is a serious criminal cases such as a rape, murder and robbery these type of cases are delt in a UK Crown Court. However unlike a Magistrates court, a crown court will have Jury which decides if individuals are guilty or not and at the end the judge decides which sentence the criminal gets.
2. Magistrate’s Court
A magistrate’s court is normally based in England and Wales. The Magistrates court is one that mainly takes care of minor offences for example, minor criminal damage and common assault that does not result in significant injury’s. Moreover to this serious offences such as burglary and drugs offences can also be heard in a Magistrates court . However these cases can be passed onto the Crown court. Finally all criminal cases start in the Magistrate’s course and then the cases are heard by either 2 or 3 magistrates or a district judge.
3. Youth Court
Youth courts are also based in England and Wales deal with cases involving people between aged 10 and 17. Moreover to this these courts are a very special type of magistrates court and is very different to adult courts because they are less formal, however the public is not allowed in and people are called by their first name. Therefore Youth courts deals with crimes like anti- social behavior, drug offence, theft and finally burglary. Finally more serious cases like murders are passed onto a crown court.
Here is the website I used for my research :