English Legal System

224 Pages·2014·3.14 MB·English

by  Jacqueline Martin

KEY FACTS KEY CASES
Englis h Legal

System
KEY FACTS KEY CASES
The Key Facts Key Cases revision series is designed to give you a clear
understanding and concise overview of the fundamental principles of your
law course. The books’ chapters refl ect the most commonly taught topics,
breaking the law down into bite-s ize sections with descriptive headings.
Diagrams, tables and bullet points are used throughout to make the law easy
to understand and memorise, and comprehensive case checklists are provided
that show the principles and application of case law for your subject.
Titles in the series:
Contract Law
Criminal Law
English Legal System
Equity & Trusts
EU Law
Family Law
Human Rights
Land Law
Tort Law
For a full listing of the Routledge Revision range of titles, visit
www.routledge.com/law
KEY FACTS KEY CASES
Englis h Legal

System

Jacqueline Martin
First published 2014
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2014 Jacqueline Martin
The right of Jacqueline Martin to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by her
in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form
or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested.
ISBN: 978–0–415–83326–4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978–1–315–87965–9 (ebk)
Typeset in Helvetica
by Refi neCatch Limited, Bungay, Suffolk
Contents
PREFACE x
TABLE OF CASES xii
Chapter 1
WHAT IS LAW? 1
1.1 The nature of law 1
1.2 Classifi cation of law 2
1.3 Distinctions between civil and criminal law 4
Key Cases Checklist 5
Chapter 2
JUDICIAL PRECEDENT 7
2.1 The doctrine of precedent 8
2.2 Hierarchy of the courts 10
2.3 The House of Lords and the Practice Statement 11
2.4 The Supreme Court 13
2.5 The position of the Court of Appeal 14
2.6 Ratio and o biter 16
2.7 Distinguishing 17
2.8 Advantages and disadvantages of precedent 17
2.9 Judicial law- making in precedent 18
Key Cases Checklist 19
Chapter 3
LEGISLATION 36
3.1 Acts of Parliament 36
3.2 The process in Parliament 38
3.3 Advantages of statute law over case law 40
3.4 Parliamentary sovereignty 40
3.5 Delegated legislation 41
Key Cases Checklist 44
vi Contents
Chapter 4
STATUTORY INTERPRETATION 48
4.1 Need for statutory interpretation 49
4.2 Approaches to statutory interpretation 49
4.3 Results of interpretation 50
4.4 The purposive approach 51
4.5 Intrinsic aids 51
4.6 Extrinsic aids 51
4.7 Rules of language 52
4.8 Presumptions 53
4.9 The European approach 53
4.10 The effect of the Human Rights Act 1998 54
4.11 The judicial role in interpretation 54
Key Cases Checklist 55
Chapter 5
EUROPEAN UNION LAW 71
5.1 The institutions 72
5.2 Sources of law 74
5.3 Effect on sovereignty of Parliament 76
Key Cases Checklist 78
Chapter 6
LAW REFORM 83
6.1 The need for law reform 84
6.2 Law Commission 84
6.3 Other law reform bodies 86
Chapter 7
THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM 87
7.1 The court structure 88
7.2 Procedure in outline 89
7.3 Encouraging ADR 91
7.4 Appeals 91
7.5 Comment on the post-Woolf civil system 93
7.6 Alternative dispute resolution 94
Key Cases Checklist 96
Contents vii
Chapter 8
TRIBUNALS AND INQUIRIES 103
8.1 Administrative tribunals 103
8.2 Control of tribunals 105
8.3 Domestic tribunals 106
8.4 Inquiries 107
Key Cases Checklist 108
Chapter 9
POLICE POWERS 109
9.1 Stop and search 110
9.2 Searching premises 111
9.3 Powers of arrest 112
9.4 Detention at the police station 115
9.5 Complaints against the police 118
Key Cases Checklist 119
Chapter 10
THE CRIMINAL PROCESS AND COURTS 126
10.1 The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 127
10.2 Bail 127
10.3 Classifi cation of offences 129
10.4 Magistrates’ Court 129
10.5 Appeals from the Magistrates’ Court 131
10.6 The Crown Court 132
10.7 Appeals from the Crown Court 132
10.8 Miscarriages of justice 134
Key Materials 134
Chapter 11
SENTENCING 136
11.1 Aims of sentencing 137
11.2 Types of sentences 140
11.3 Other powers of the court 142
11.4 Additional powers in respect of young offenders (10–17) 142
11.5 Mentally ill offenders 143
11.6 Other factors in sentencing 143
viii Contents
Chapter 12
THE LEGAL PROFESSION 145
12.1 Solicitors 146
12.2 Barristers 147
12.3 Queen’s Counsel 148
12.4 Para- legals 149
12.5 Regulation of the legal professions 149
12.6 Legal Services Act 2007 150
Key Cases Checklist 151
Chapter 13
THE JUDICIARY 154
13.1 Appointment 155
13.2 Training 157
13.3 Removal 157
13.4 Independence of the Judiciary 158
13.5 The Lord Chancellor’s role 159
Key Cases Checklist 160
Chapter 14
LAY MAGISTRATES 163
14.1 Qualifi cations 163
14.2 Appointment 164
14.3 Composition of the Bench 164
14.4 Training 165
14.5 Retirement and removal 165
14.6 Role 166
14.7 Advantages 166
14.8 Disadvantages 167
Key Cases Checklist 167
Chapter 15
JURIES 170
15.1 Use of juries 171
15.2 Jury qualifi cations 171
Key Cases Checklist 176
Contents ix
Chapter 16
LEGAL SERVICES AND FUNDING 190
16.1 Public funding for civil cases 190
16.2 Private funding for civil cases 192
16.3 Advice agencies 193
16.4 Legal aid in criminal cases 193
INDEX 195