Unlocking the English Legal System

by Huxley-Binns,Rebecca; Birch,Vir

• ISBN13: 9780340886939
• ISBN10: 0340886935
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2005-05-27
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Unlocking the Law is a completely new series of textbooks with a unique approach to undergraduate study of law. From its conception, the series has been designed specifically so that the subject matter is readable - students are not overwhelmed with page after page of continuous prose. The text of each title is broken up with features and activities that have been written to ensure that students are pointed in the right direction when it comes to understanding the purpose of different areas within the course. Ultimately the accessible style of Unlocking the Law will ensure that students not only understand fully the concepts required but are able to apply them with competence. All titles in the series follow the same format and include the same features so that students can move easily from one law subject to another. The series covers all the core subjects required by the Bar Council and the Law Society for entry onto professional qualifications and will expand to include more titles on option areas. Key features Numerous headings and sub-headings to direct students easily to the specific area of study required Cases separated from the main text with full citation for easy access Highlighted key extracts from judgments Highlighted key extracts from academic sources such as leading texts or articles in legal journals with full citation Summary charts of key facts Diagrams, flow charts and other key visual aids Activities including practice of specific undergraduate skills and learning tasks

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	xiii
Preface	xiv
Table of cases	xvi
Table of statutes and other instruments	xxii
List of figures	xxvii
The sources of law	1	(36)
The English Legal System	1	(1)
The sources of law	2	(1)
The courts	3	(2)
The common law	5	(5)
Problems of the common law	5	(1)
Development of equity	6	(4)
Parliament	10	(4)
Legislation	10	(2)
The enactment process	12	(2)
Delegated legislation	14	(6)
Statutory instruments	15	(1)
Byelaws	15	(1)
Orders of the Legislative Committee of the Privy Council	15	(2)
Parliamentary control of secondary legislation	17	(1)
Judicial control of secondary legislation	18	(2)
The European Union	20	(6)
A brief history of the European Community	20	(2)
UK membership of the EC	22	(1)
The role of the European Court of Justice	23	(1)
Effect on parliamentary sovereignty	24	(2)
European Convention on Human Rights	26	(5)
The Human Rights Act 1998	26	(5)
Law reform	31	(6)
Judges	31	(1)
Parliament	32	(1)
The law reform agencies	32	(2)
Royal Commissions	34	(1)
Academics	34	(1)
Pressure groups	34	(1)
Media pressure	35	(1)
Europe	35	(2)
The doctrine of judicial precedent	37	(33)
What is the doctrine of precedent?	37	(1)
How does the doctrine of precedent operate?	38	(5)
The court hierarchy	38	(2)
Ratio decidendi and obiter dicta	40	(2)
Persuasive precedent	42	(1)
The doctrine as applied in individual courts	43	(13)
The House of Lords	43	(5)
The Court of Appeal (Civil Division)	48	(5)
The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)	53	(2)
The Divisional Courts of the High Court	55	(1)
The High Court	55	(1)
The Crown Court	55	(1)
County Courts and Magistrates' Courts	55	(1)
Other courts	55	(1)
The Human Rights Act 1998	56	(2)
The declaratory theory	58	(4)
Avoiding precedents	62	(5)
Distinguishing	62	(3)
Reversing	65	(1)
Overruling	65	(2)
Pros and cons of precedent	67	(3)
Statutory interpretation	70	(39)
Introduction	70	(7)
The need for statutory interpretation	70	(2)
Applying the law	72	(2)
Judicial law-making	74	(2)
Interpretation or construction?	76	(1)
Parliamentary definitions	76	(1)
The three `rules'	77	(10)
The literal rule	77	(3)
The golden rule	80	(2)
The mischief rule	82	(5)
The purposive approach	87	(5)
European influence	91	(1)
Literal approach versus purposive approach	92	(4)
Rules of language	96	(2)
The ejusdem generis rule	96	(1)
Expressio unius est exclusio alterius	96	(1)
Noscitur a sociis	97	(1)
Presumptions	98	(1)
Intrinsic and extrinsic aids	99	(8)
Intrinsic aids	99	(1)
Extrinsic aids	99	(1)
The use of Hansard	100	(4)
Law reform reports	104	(2)
International Conventions	106	(1)
The effect of the Human Rights Act 1998	107	(2)
Civil courts	109	(46)
Introduction to the courts system	109	(5)
Civil and criminal cases	109	(3)
Superior courts and inferior courts	112	(1)
Appellate courts and trial courts	113	(1)
Courts and tribunals	113	(1)
Civil courts of trial	114	(6)
Queen's Bench Division	115	(1)
Chancery Division	116	(1)
Family Division	116	(1)
County Court	116	(1)
Small claims	117	(1)
The track system	117	(1)
Transfer of cases between the County Court and the High Court	118	(2)
Problems in the civil justice system	120	(2)
The Civil Justice Review	121	(1)
The Heilbron-Hodge Committee	121	(1)
The Woolf Report	122	(12)
The track system	124	(1)
Civil procedure	124	(1)
Case management	125	(1)
Pre-action protocols	125	(1)
Encouraging ADR	126	(2)
Strict timetables	128	(1)
Judgment in default and summary judgment	129	(1)
Part 36 offers to settle	129	(1)
Are the Woolf reforms a success?	130	(4)
Enforcement of judgment	134	(2)
Tribunals	136	(9)
Administrative tribunals	136	(1)
Composition and procedure	137	(1)
Advantages and disadvantages of tribunals	138	(2)
The Leggatt Report	140	(2)
Control of tribunals	142	(2)
Domestic tribunals	144	(1)
ADR	145	(10)
Negotiation	145	(1)
Mediation	145	(1)
Conciliation	146	(1)
Arbitration	147	(4)
Encouraging the use of ADR	151	(4)
Criminal courts and procedure	155	(24)
Introduction	155	(1)
The Crown Prosecution Service	155	(4)
Code for Crown Prosecutors	156	(1)
The Glidewell Report	157	(2)
Plea bargaining	159	(1)
Courts exercising criminal jurisdiction	160	(2)
Appellate courts	162	(1)
The Court of Justice of the European Communities	162	(1)
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council	162	(1)
The House of Lords	163	(1)
The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)	163	(1)
The High Court of Justice	163	(1)
The Crown Court -- appellate jurisdiction	163	(1)
Criminal courts of first instance	163	(2)
The Crown Court	163	(1)
The Magistrates' Court	164	(1)
Classification of criminal offences	165	(5)
Indictable offences	165	(1)
Summary offences	166	(1)
Offences triable either way	166	(3)
The choice: Magistrates' Court or Crown Court?	169	(1)
The `right' to trial by jury?	170	(9)
The Auld Report	172	(1)
The Criminal Justice Act 2003	173	(1)
Why have these changes occurred?	173	(6)
Appeals	179	(22)
Appeals in civil proceedings	179	(5)
The Access to Justice Act 1999	179	(3)
The Court of Appeal (Civil Division)	182	(1)
The House of Lords	182	(1)
Other appeals in civil cases	183	(1)
Appeals in criminal proceedings	184	(2)
Prosecution appeals	186	(3)
Section 36 Criminal Justice Act 1972	186	(1)
Section 36 Criminal Justice Act 1988	186	(1)
Sections 54 and 55 Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996	186	(1)
Appeals against a judge's erroneous decision -- Criminal Justice Act 2003	187	(1)
Abolition of the rule against double jeopardy -- Criminal Justice Act 2003	187	(2)
Defence appeals	189	(5)
Appeal following summary trial	189	(1)
Appeal following trial on indictment	190	(4)
The House of Lords	194	(1)
Other courts	195	(1)
The Criminal Cases Review Commission	195	(6)
Funding	201	(34)
Access to justice	201	(1)
Public funding	202	(5)
History	202	(1)
Reform of the system	203	(3)
The Access to Justice Act 1999	206	(1)
The Legal Services Commission	207	(2)
Contracting	209	(1)
Public funding in civil matters	209	(10)
Criteria for funding in civil matters	210	(1)
Matters excluded from funding	211	(1)
The merits test	212	(1)
Means testing	213	(2)
Evaluation of civil legal aid	215	(4)
The Criminal Defence Service	219	(4)
Duty solicitors	219	(1)
Advice and Assistance	220	(1)
Representation	220	(2)
The Public Defence Service	222	(1)
The legal profession and public funding	223	(3)
Private funding	226	(5)
Conditional fee agreements	226	(4)
The legal profession and CFAs	230	(1)
Claims firms	231	(1)
Advice agencies	231	(4)
Citizens' Advice Bureaux	233	(1)
Law centres	233	(1)
Pro bono work	233	(2)
Juries	235	(38)
Introduction	235	(1)
The independence of the jury	235	(1)
Modern-day use of the jury	236	(1)
Jury qualifications	236	(4)
Basic qualifications	236	(2)
Disqualification from jury service	238	(1)
Excusal from jury service	238	(2)
Discretionary excusals	240	(1)
Selection at court	240	(5)
Lack of capacity	241	(1)
Vetting	241	(1)
At court	242	(1)
Challenging	242	(1)
Aids for the jury	243	(2)
Juries in civil cases	245	(8)
Defamation cases	246	(3)
Damages in defamation cases	249	(1)
Juries in personal injury cases	250	(3)
Juries in Coroners' Courts	253	(1)
Juries in criminal cases	253	(2)
Verdicts	254	(1)
Secrecy of the jury room	255	(5)
Common law rule	256	(1)
Human rights and jury secrecy	257	(2)
Practice Direction	259	(1)
Research into juries	260	(1)
Advantages of trial by jury	261	(1)
Public confidence	261	(1)
Jury equity	262	(1)
Panel of 12	262	(1)
Disadvantages of trial by jury	262	(8)
Racial composition and bias	262	(3)
Media influence	265	(1)
Perverse verdicts	265	(2)
Fraud trials	267	(2)
High acquittal rates	269	(1)
Other disadvantages	270	(1)
Alternatives to trial by jury	270	(3)
Lay magistrates	273	(25)
Introduction	273	(1)
Lay magistrates	273	(1)
District Judges	274	(1)
History of the magistracy	274	(1)
Qualifications for lay magistrates	274	(3)
Age	275	(1)
Limitations	275	(1)
Six key personal qualities	276	(1)
Area	276	(1)
Commitment	276	(1)
Allowances	276	(1)
Selection and appointment of lay magistrates	277	(3)
Recruitment	277	(1)
Advisory committees	278	(1)
Political affiliation	278	(2)
Training of lay magistrates	280	(4)
Training for new magistrates	281	(3)
Resignation and removal of lay justices	284	(1)
Retirement	284	(1)
Removal	284	(1)
Magistrates' duties	285	(3)
Criminal cases	285	(1)
Civil cases	286	(1)
Youth Court	286	(1)
Family Proceedings Court	286	(1)
Immunity from suit	287	(1)
The magistrates' clerk	288	(3)
Advantages of using lay magistrates	291	(3)
Cross-section of society	291	(2)
Local knowledge	293	(1)
Cost	293	(1)
Legal adviser	294	(1)
Few appeals	294	(1)
Disadvantages of lay magistrates	294	(4)
Middle-aged, middle-class	294	(1)
Prosecution bias	295	(1)
Inconsistency in sentencing	295	(1)
Reliance on the clerk	295	(3)
The legal profession	298	(35)
Paralegals and legal executives	298	(2)
Training routes	299	(1)
Solicitors	300	(15)
Organisation	300	(3)
Training	303	(3)
Work	306	(4)
Complaints	310	(5)
Barristers	315	(10)
Organisation	315	(1)
Training	316	(1)
Work	317	(4)
Complaints	321	(4)
The legal profession -- the future?	325	(8)
The Judiciary	333	(28)
Reform	333	(8)
The Lord Chancellor	333	(5)
Judicial appointments	338	(1)
A Supreme Court	339	(2)
The judicial hierarchy	341	(2)
Training	343	(1)
The inferior judges	343	(2)
District Judge (Magistrates' Court)	344	(1)
District Judge (Civil Court)	344	(1)
Recorder	344	(1)
Circuit Judge	345	(1)
The superior judges	345	(2)
High Court Judge	345	(1)
Lord Justice of Appeal	346	(1)
Head of Division	346	(1)
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary	346	(1)
Judicial appointments	347	(4)
The composition of the Judiciary	351	(4)
Dismissal and judicial independence	355	(6)
Sentencing	361	(28)
Introduction	361	(2)
Maximum sentences	361	(1)
Minimum sentences	362	(1)
Dangerous offenders	362	(1)
Young offenders	362	(1)
Aims of sentencing	363	(6)
Punishment	363	(2)
Deterrence	365	(1)
Reform and rehabilitation	366	(1)
Protection of the public	367	(1)
Reparation	367	(1)
Denunciation	368	(1)
Custodial sentences	369	(3)
Life sentences	370	(1)
Fixed-term sentence	371	(1)
Custody Plus	371	(1)
Intermittent Custody	372	(1)
Suspended sentences	372	(1)
Community sentences	372	(3)
Unpaid work requirement	374	(1)
Activity requirement	374	(1)
Curfew requirement	374	(1)
Exclusion order	374	(1)
Supervision requirement	375	(1)
Young offenders	375	(2)
Custodial sentences	375	(1)
Other sentences	376	(1)
Fines and discharges	377	(1)
Sentencing practice	378	(8)
Seriousness	378	(2)
Reduction for a guilty plea	380	(3)
Thresholds	383	(1)
Pre-sentence reports	384	(2)
Prison statistics	386	(3)
Women in prison	387	(2)
Appendix 1 Activities on judicial precedent and statutory interpretation	389	(12)
Appendix 2 Answering questions	401	(5)
Index	406