1. Week 4 – the Judiciary and lay people
Unit 3 – Law for Business
Week 4 – the Judiciary and lay people
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

2. Objectives of session Re-cap from previous week
Ensure leaflets are completed
Examine the role, work and training of a variety of personnel involved in the legal system including the Judiciary and lay people
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

3. The Judiciary different judges in the court system
Lord Chief Justice
Master of the Rolls
Presidents of the high Court division
Lords of Appeal in ordinary
Lord Justice of Appeal
Puisne judges
Circuit judges
Recorders
District judges
Lord/Lady – senior
Lord/Lady – superior
Your Honour – Inferior
Sir/Madam - Inferior
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

4. High court or Puisne judges
106 High court judges
Deal with more complex cases
Usually based in London but can travel the country to help with more serious cases i.e. Murder
Also, assist Lord Justices to hear criminal appeals
Sit in one of the three divisions;
Queens bench
Chancery
Family
Appointed by the Queen
Must have acted in the high court for at least 10 years
Must have had 2yrs experience of being a Circuit judge
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

5. Circuit judges Hear cases in the Crown or County courts
Over 600 Circuit judges
Deal with criminal, civil and family
Must have held the right of audience for 10yrs
Served as a part-time recorder on criminal matters or as a full-time district judge
Like High court judges they are appointed by the Queen
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

6. District judges Full-time Wide variety of civil work including;
Family matters
Property matters and
Bankruptcy
Deal with cases heard in County court
434 District judges
Must have had the right of audience for at least 7yrs
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

7. District judges (Magistrates court)
Can be called a stipendiary magistrate – still known as justices of the peace
Deal with the longer and more cxomplex cases in the Magistrates courts
Jurisdiction includes;
Criminal
Youth court
Family matters
Also, sit as prison adjudicators
Sit alone to hear a case
Appointed by the Queen
Must have had the right of audience for at least 7yrs
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

8. Recorders and assistant judges
Part-time judges who may also work as barristers or solicitors
Deal with less serious cases in the Crown court
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

9. Judicial independence and immunity
Judges must be seen to be completely independent by the public
Cannot be influenced by such factors as;
The state
The media
Other judges
Religion
Politics
Money
Judicial immunity = cannot be sued or prosecuted for a decision they make on a case
Fda Business
Victoria Grace

10. Removal from office
Superior judges can only be removed from office if both houses of Parliament pass it
Rare occurrence and last happened in 1830
Inferior judges can be removed from office by the Lord Chief Justice
Can also have the type of cases they hear overseen or restricted
Fda Business
Victoria Grace