The Magistrates’ Court is the lowest court in England. It deals mainly with minor criminal such as vandalism and drink driving. All cases begin in the magistrates’ court, and more than 90% of them will be completed there. It also can deal with offences like burglary and drug offences. These are called either-way offences and they can either be heard in the Magistrates’ Court or they can be passed on to the crown court.
The Crown Court deals with more serious criminal acts such as murder and the ones passed on from the magistrates. They can sentence the defendant once they have been found guilty, or for a full trial. It has a judge and a jury. The jury decides if you’re guilty or not and the judge decides what your sentence will be. Some examples of offences are, murder, rape, and robbery. These are referred to as indictable offences. If you …show more content…
It deals with disputes between different parties. It has the important function of ensuring that European law is interpreted and applied in the same way in every member state. It sits in Luxembourg and is composed of 28 judges, one judge from each member state. There are also 8 Advocate Generals who deliver reasoned opinions on cases to assist the ECJ in making its decisions. The CJEU gives rulings on cases brought before it. It interprets the law (preliminary rulings) – national courts of EU countries are required to ensure EU law is properly applied, but courts in different countries might interpret it differently. If a national court is in doubt about the interpretation or validity of an EU law, it can ask the Court for clarification. It also enforces the law (infringement proceedings) – this type of case is taken against a national government for failing to comply with EU law. Finally, it can annul EU legal acts (actions for annulment) – if an EU act is believed to violate EU treaties or fundamental rights, the Court can be asked to annul
The Crown Court deals with more serious criminal acts such as murder and the ones passed on from the magistrates. They can sentence the defendant once they have been found guilty, or for a full trial. It has a judge and a jury. The jury decides if you’re guilty or not and the judge decides what your sentence will be. Some examples of offences are, murder, rape, and robbery. These are referred to as indictable offences. If you …show more content…
It deals with disputes between different parties. It has the important function of ensuring that European law is interpreted and applied in the same way in every member state. It sits in Luxembourg and is composed of 28 judges, one judge from each member state. There are also 8 Advocate Generals who deliver reasoned opinions on cases to assist the ECJ in making its decisions. The CJEU gives rulings on cases brought before it. It interprets the law (preliminary rulings) – national courts of EU countries are required to ensure EU law is properly applied, but courts in different countries might interpret it differently. If a national court is in doubt about the interpretation or validity of an EU law, it can ask the Court for clarification. It also enforces the law (infringement proceedings) – this type of case is taken against a national government for failing to comply with EU law. Finally, it can annul EU legal acts (actions for annulment) – if an EU act is believed to violate EU treaties or fundamental rights, the Court can be asked to annul