Crown Courts Vs Magistrates

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There is quite a difference between the two courts, even though the magistrates will deal with 97% of crimes if they think there is a case they think that they can’t be tried in that court they will commit to the crown court so they can pass a higher sentence or that the crime is too serious to be heard in the magistrates. The magistrates only have the power to sentence a person for up to six month in jail or 12 months for consecutive sentences and fines up to £5000.

The magistrate is not trained in law but a clerk of justice will advise on law and sentencing. There are sometimes a district judge will preside over a trial in the magistrates court but not that often this would be called a summary trial, the defendant can choose if he wants to go to trial at the crown court this would be a jury of his/her peers. …show more content…

The magistrate courts usually have tree magistrates on the bench; these are just normal people who are on the electorial role as I have stated these are lay magistrates or justice of the peace.

Magistrates also can deal with custody orders, which are now, called residence orders, family court is now mostly heard in a magistrate court.

There are 77-crown courts in England and Wales this is a court where the most serious crimes aew tried like murder, rape.

There is a section called the Queen’s Bench division that has three tiers to it on criminal law and civil.

When a case is up at the crown court, the defendant can appeal on points of

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