Court Visit Study Guide

1.1 The court visit and its general role in the English Legal system.
The court visited was ‘Uxbridge Magistrates Court and Uxbridge Youth Court’, which is managed by the ministry of justice. The magistrates’ court is one of the courts at the lowest level of court hierarchy. It deals with offences with are regarded as less serious offences. Cases in the magistrates ' courts are usually heard by a panel of magistrates (Justices of the Peace). This court must normally be composed of not more than three justices, including, as far as possible, both a man and a woman. The court visited had three court rooms, including the video link court and two summary offences court. The video link court is there to save the transportation cost and to utilise
Civil division magistrates courts deals with family proceedings, known as 'family proceedings court '. The court also deals with adoption proceedings, applications for residence and maintenance relating to spouses and children. It also deals with enforcing Council Tax demands and issuing rights of entry warrants for gas and electricity authorities. On the other hand, criminal division includes, two kind of offences, summary and tribal either way offences. The maximum sentencing that magistrates can impose is £5000 and/or a 12-month prison sentence. It also includes Youth court. Defendants under 18 years of age will normally be tried by a youth court, no matter what the offence. There are special provisions for the punishment of this age
The court rooms visited were two. The first one was the video link court and the second one was summary offences court. Court one included the two female magistrates, a male magistrate and they were supported by a legally qualified court clerk. She was a woman and had all the legal knowledge required in law. The case witnessed was about the defendant named, Carl Thompson. In this case the defendant was drunk and had purchased a parking ticket, but the traffic officer gives him a fine because the car was parked outside the white line. Defendant was so frustrated that he threatened the officer while he was driving out from the parking. Defendant was already on probation at work. His father was also ill for few days ago, so his mental status was not good and he was depressed. He lost his temper and stated abusing the officer. He called the officer ‘fucking dickhead’. The defendant was guilty plea. A plea is a defendant’s formal answer to criminal charges. The judgement was made by the main lady magistrate in which accused’s probation period was extended. He was charged with one fine of £165, another fine of £90 and the victim’s surcharge of £20. Total was £275 which had to be paid by 28 days. Collection order was given. The lady magistrate suggested him that he should have taken the fine ticket which would have cost him much lesser than all the fines he is paying