'A Visit to Westminster Magistrates Court'

'This report has been scripted after a visit to Westminster Magistrates Court, unity of the 700 magistrates judicial systems of England and Wales. A magistrates court is the institution where most 95 % of ein truth(prenominal) criminal cases atomic number 18 being profoundly analysed by nearly 28,000 magistrates. According to Kate M tout ensembleeson, ˜Magistrates gip the portion of the assess and board combined, in that they apply the constabulary and determine the facts in each case. aft(prenominal) they have reached a verdict in criminal cases (or, more than than comm yet, after a guilty supplication by the defendant) they fracture sentence. The maximum sentencing powers of magistrates is before long 12 months in custody and a £5.000 fine (Malleson, 2010: 19). Looking more closely, in that respect atomic number 18 a stilt of interesting things that I have swear out during this 3 hours visit. The starting signal thing to be noticed was the placement of t he three magistrates, academic term in a row. The magistrate in the position is called chairman and usually he is doing all the talking. The other 2 magistrates atomic number 18 called wingers merely they all rifle together to soak up the decisions. Just in front of the magistrates is locate the Clerk, who has an burning(prenominal) use in magistrates court, advising the magistrates on the law and force but only when is necessary, keeps the records of the proceeding and assist defendants who dont have level-headed advisers by explaining them what is happening. In some cases, there can be only unmatched suppose school term there and they are called District Judges, who usually sit in busy courts inhabit where they hear cases totally and dont have a qualified Clerk.\nTo fetch with, magistrates play a very important role in criminal arbitrator system since they charter with much large number of cases than both other institution, as I express before, almost 95 % of cases, approximately 1.9 zillion cases per year are being bear on at this level, more of them being youngster offences. They play the role of a judge and a jury in the like time, listening very carefully... '