What is the difference between juries and magistrates

Not only this but both can decided whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty. Solicitors and magistrates also carry out their roles in the Magistrates court. Another similarity magistrates and barristers have when is court is that they are both advised by people. Barristers however are advised and helped by solicitors.

Juries also have to hear evidence presented in court as it is part of their role to make a guilty or not guilty verdict on what is shown to them. In addition to this they both also are allowed to be in the higher courts such as the Crown Court. Moreover they can both appear in court, even though it is rare for a solicitor to do so.

Both solicitors and Barristers can be approached by the public, however this is very rare in a Barristers case. Another similarity between solicitors and barristers even though it is not role similarity, is the fact that they both get paid on a case basis. Accept additional cookies Reject additional cookies View cookies. Hide this message. Home Crime, justice and the law Courts, sentencing and tribunals.

Criminal courts. If you do not attend court after being granted bail, you can be put in prison. Even when a date is given for a trial in the Crown Court it does not mean the trial will actually take place on that date due to other cases which overrun or for numerous other reasons, including the practice of overlisting cases.

It is similar to overbooking an aircraft to ensure that all seats are filled. For floating trials which fail to find a free courtroom when they are listed, this practice inevitably leads to further delays, disappointments and stress for witnesses, defendants, their friends and family members. Case management procedures are intended to ensure that cases are ready to proceed when they are meant to, but the reality is that the Crown Court is dogged by delays and a vast backlog, a situation which has only been exacerbated by jury trials being halted temporarily during the COVID pandemic.

Criminal Court statistics for England and Wales October-December reveal that, at the end of December , there were 37, outstanding Crown Court cases. These statistics include not just outstanding trials, but also other case types such as those listed for sentence.

The Crown Court is a formal place some would say stuffy. Barristers wear wigs and gowns as do the judges, whereas in the magistrates' court judges and lawyers wear suits and usually smart clothing, but not formal dress. The procedures and some of the language have a far greater formality than in the magistrates' court.

For these reasons some people will find the atmosphere unsettling. By contrast, appealing against conviction or sentence from the Crown Court is a far more complex process. In short, the appeals process from the Crown Court is far more lengthy and involved than from the magistrates' court. To find out more go to. Simply because a defendant who faces an either-way offence elects trial in the Crown Court rather than the magistrates' court should not mean that their sentence should be increased in the event that they are found guilty.

However, judges have quite a lot of flexibility in sentencing even within sentencing guidelines and Crown Court Judges are used to imposing far longer sentences than their magistrate counterparts. You can more information in our sentencing guide. In the vast majority of cases under 18s will have their first appearance and their trial at the Youth Court.

Youth Court information from the Magistrates Association. The Youth Court Bench Book provides legal guidance for magistrates who sit in the youth court. Youth Court sentencing from the Sentencing Council. Yes No. Tell us what you were looking for. About the judiciary About the judiciary The judiciary, the government and the constitution The justice system Who are the judiciary?