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The Legal Environment

Outcome 3: explain the operation of the legal system

The candidate will be able to:

  • identify the civil and criminal courts in order of hierarchy and describe in outline the jurisdiction of each court
  • describe the role of judges, barristers, solicitors, legal executives
  • describe the role of lay people in the law ie Juries and Magistrates
  • explain the range of advice and assistance available to a claimant in a civil case
  • explain the range of advice and assistance available to a defendant in a criminal case
  • describe pre-trial procedure in criminal cases
  • identify the range of sentences given ie custodial, suspended, community, fines
  • identify alternative methods of dispute resolution in civil cases ie tribunals, arbitration, mediation, negotiation, ombudsman
  • describe the process of a civil claim - claim form, particulars of claim, allocation questionnaire, small claims, fast track, multi-track
  • describe the main remedies available in a civil claim ie damages, injunctions.