Compare and contrast the role and function of judges
Compare and contrast the role and function of judges, lawyers and lay people within the English Courts
Judges, lawyers and lay people all contribute to the English courts however the roles that each of them play are different.
There are two types of lay people that have a role in the English Courts, solicitors and barristers. A solicitor’s main function is to perform all of the legal work outside the court however they work together with barristers whose main function is to defend the client in the court using the paperwork that their solicitor has provided. They both provide their client with advice on the case and in some cases predict the outcome so that their clients know what to expect. In contrast judges role is to interpret the law and assess the evidence they have been presented, they control hearings and trials that take place in their court rooms and may sometimes be required to pass sentences. Magistrates and jurors also sit in court with judges and barristers. Magistrates must use their range of skills and abilities to deal with criminal cases and adjudicate in the case of a summery trial and in most cases pass sentence. Magistrates do not hear all trials, they must send the most serious cases to the High Court so that harsher sentence can be imposed. Jurors listen to all of the evidence that has been presented to them and represent ‘trial by ones peers’.
Solicitors can work for a big range of organisations and with individuals such as commercial or non-commercial law firms, the government, private businesses and banks because they have specialist knowledge of the different areas of law just like barristers who also have specialist knowledge of the law. In contrast barristers can be self-employed unlike solicitors who can only be self-employed after at least 3 years on the job, being self-employed means that lawyers are paid according to their own rates rather than having an annual wage. Barristers do not have as much contact with the public as
Judges, lawyers and lay people all contribute to the English courts however the roles that each of them play are different.
There are two types of lay people that have a role in the English Courts, solicitors and barristers. A solicitor’s main function is to perform all of the legal work outside the court however they work together with barristers whose main function is to defend the client in the court using the paperwork that their solicitor has provided. They both provide their client with advice on the case and in some cases predict the outcome so that their clients know what to expect. In contrast judges role is to interpret the law and assess the evidence they have been presented, they control hearings and trials that take place in their court rooms and may sometimes be required to pass sentences. Magistrates and jurors also sit in court with judges and barristers. Magistrates must use their range of skills and abilities to deal with criminal cases and adjudicate in the case of a summery trial and in most cases pass sentence. Magistrates do not hear all trials, they must send the most serious cases to the High Court so that harsher sentence can be imposed. Jurors listen to all of the evidence that has been presented to them and represent ‘trial by ones peers’.
Solicitors can work for a big range of organisations and with individuals such as commercial or non-commercial law firms, the government, private businesses and banks because they have specialist knowledge of the different areas of law just like barristers who also have specialist knowledge of the law. In contrast barristers can be self-employed unlike solicitors who can only be self-employed after at least 3 years on the job, being self-employed means that lawyers are paid according to their own rates rather than having an annual wage. Barristers do not have as much contact with the public as