29-556: The Oxford Combined Court Centre is a Crown Court venue, which deals with criminal cases, as well as a County Court venue, which deals with civil cases, in St Aldate's, Oxford , England. The building was commissioned by the then Sir William Morris (later created Viscount Nuffield) as a showroom for his motor vehicle manufacturing company, Morris Motors , which had been established in 1912. Morris initially displayed his new vehicles in an existing property at 36–37 Queen Street, but, in
58-625: A circular layout, but the overall positioning of elements will remain the same. Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom) King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee The Ministry of Justice ( MoJ )
87-591: A similar style. Internally, the principal room was a large display area. After British Leyland decided to focus on the Austin brand, the showroom was closed and the building was acquired by the Lord Chancellor's Department , which converted it into a courthouse at a cost of £5.2 million, to a design by the Property Services Agency . The crown court and the county court , which had previously been based at
116-612: A system of courts of assize and quarter sessions for indictment trials at first instance. However, the Beeching Commission in 1969 recommended the replacement of the assize system, following the model of the 'crown courts' introduced by the Criminal Justice Administration Act 1956 ( 4 & 5 Eliz. 2 . c. 34). in Liverpool and Manchester. As such, the current Crown Court was established on 1 January 1972 by
145-589: Is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom . It is headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (a combined position). Its stated priorities are to reduce re-offending and protect the public, to provide access to justice, to increase confidence in the justice system, and to uphold people's civil liberties. The Secretary of State is the minister responsible to Parliament for
174-578: Is now handled by the Speakers Committee on Electoral Reform and the House Leader. Royal succession was given back to the ministry. The Secretary of State for Justice had responsibility for a commission on a British bill of rights. The British bill of rights was a plan to implement human rights through national law, instead of the European Convention on Human Rights being part of UK law through
203-567: The Courts Act 1971 , establishing a unitary trial court for the whole jurisdiction. With the merger of the various court services into what is now HM Courts and Tribunals Service, the Crown Court frequently shares facilities with the County Court and magistrates' courts. The Crown Court carries out four principal types of activity: The average time from receipt by the Crown Court to completion
232-753: The Crown dependencies i.e. Jersey , Guernsey and the Isle of Man , and HM Government. These are self-governing possessions of the British monarch , through his titles as Duke of Normandy in the Channel Islands and Lord of Mann in the Isle of Man. It processes legislation for Royal Assent passed by the insular legislative assemblies and consults the Islands on extending UK legislation to them. It also ensures that relevant UK legislation
261-748: The Department for Constitutional Affairs . The latter had replaced the Lord Chancellor's Department in 2003. The expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Justice are scrutinised by the Justice Select Committee . Prior to the formation of the Coalition Government in May 2010, the ministry handled relations between the British Government and the three devolved administrations:
290-843: The Northern Ireland Executive ; the Scottish Government ; and the Welsh Government . Responsibility for devolution was then transferred to the re-established position of Deputy Prime Minister , based in the Cabinet Office . He also assumed responsibility for political and constitutional reform, including reform of the House of Lords , the West Lothian Question , electoral policy, political party funding reform and royal succession. After 2015, responsibility for devolution
319-527: The Crown Court. This means that only barristers , solicitor advocates , and some chartered legal executives can represent clients. Solicitors may choose to attend hearings, but they are not able to speak directly. The court is primarily administered by the Clerk of Court, who wears a white collar/bib with bands and a black gown. They are assisted by the Court Usher, who is the only person that will move when
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#1732858481834348-727: The Human Rights Act 1998. This would have also ended the binding authority the European Court of Human Rights has over British courts. This was later shelved, but recently, this has gained support since the UK left the European Union. The Ministry of Justice retained the following UK-wide remit: As the office of the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain , the ministry is also responsible for policy relating to Lord Lieutenants (i.e.
377-472: The Ministry of Justice's work takes place in England and Wales . The ministry has no responsibility for devolved criminal justice policy, courts, prisons or probation matters in either Scotland or Northern Ireland . Within the jurisdiction of England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for ensuring that all suspected offenders (including children and young people) are appropriately dealt with from
406-590: The administration of justice in Jersey , Guernsey , and the Isle of Man (which are Crown Dependencies ), as well as Saint Helena , Ascension, Tristan da Cunha , and the Falkland Islands (which are British Overseas Territories ). Gibraltar , another British overseas territory , has its own Ministry of Justice. The ministry was formed in May 2007 when some functions of the Home Secretary were combined with
435-549: The court is in session and will wear a gown over standard business dress. Court dress is almost always worn, although wigs may be removed during exceptional circumstances when directed by the judge - for example, when children are testifying. There are several physical elements to a Crown Court. From the position of the defendant: Different courts may have different layouts. Some, often older courts may have very compact layouts - like Gloucester Crown Court - or some, often newer courts may be very spacious. Some courts may have
464-675: The criminal division of the Court of Appeal and thence to the Supreme Court . In all other cases, appeal from the Crown Court lies by way of case stated to a Divisional Court of the High Court. The judges who normally sit in the Crown Court are High Court judges , circuit judges and recorders . Allocation of cases is conducted according to directions given by the Lord Chief Justice . Higher rights of audience are required to speak in
493-607: The death of her violent and alcoholic husband: she was released from custody as a result of time already served. They was also the trial and conviction, in April 2006, of the nurse, Benjamin Geen , for the murder of two patients and acts of grievous bodily harm against 15 others. Crown Court The Crown Court ( Welsh : Llys y Goron ) is the criminal court of first instance in England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences , some either way offences and appeals of
522-613: The decisions of magistrates' courts . It is one of three Senior Courts of England and Wales . The Crown Court sits in around 92 locations in England and Wales , divided into Circuits . When sitting in the City of London , it is known as the Central Criminal Court or "Old Bailey". The Crown Court is administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service , an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice . England and Wales formerly used
551-462: The early 1930s, he decided to erect a purpose-built showroom; the site he selected on the west side of St Aldate's had been occupied by a row of terraced houses. The new showroom was designed by Henry Smith in the neoclassical style , built in yellow ashlar stone and was completed in 1932. The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of nine bays facing onto St Aldate's with the end pays projected forward as pavilions . The central bay featured, on
580-473: The ground floor, an opening with three doorways and, spanning the first and second floors, a tall aedicula , formed by two vertically-stacked oriel windows flanked by Ionic order columns and piers supporting an entablature . The wings, which featured a curved section which swept round to meet the end bays at ground floor level, were fenestrated by sash windows on the first and second floors. The end bays, which were only two storeys high, were fenestrated in
609-600: The judiciary, the court system, prisons, and probation in England and Wales , with some additional UK-wide responsibilities, e.g., the UK Supreme Court and judicial appointments by the Crown. The department is also responsible for areas of constitutional policy not transferred in 2010 to the Deputy Prime Minister , human rights law, and information rights law across the UK. The British Ministry of Justice may also oversee
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#1732858481834638-568: The old County Hall , moved into the former showroom after it had been officially re-opened by the Lord Chancellor , Lord Hailsham , on 4 October 1985. Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate nine courtrooms. Notable cases have included the trial and conviction, in December 1995, of Gordon Wardell for the murder of his wife, Carol Wardell . They have also included the second trial, in May 1996, of Sara Thornton , and her acquittal for murder but conviction for manslaughter, in connection with
667-659: The out-of-court system, the Youth Justice Board , sentencing and parole policy, criminal injuries compensation and the Criminal Cases Review Commission . The Attorney General for England and Wales (also the Advocate General for Northern Ireland) works with the Ministry of Justice to develop criminal justice policy. Other responsibilities limited to England and Wales include the administration of all courts and tribunals, land registration, legal aid and
696-538: The personal representatives of the King), "non-delegated" royal, church and hereditary issues, and other constitutional issues, although the exact definition of these is unclear. The post of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was abolished in 1922 though Northern Ireland remains part of the UK. The authority of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland was transferred to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland . The vast majority of
725-509: The regulation of legal services, coroners and the investigation of deaths, administrative justice and public law, the maintenance of the judiciary, public guardianship and mental incapacity, supervision of restricted patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and civil law and justice, including the family justice system and claims management regulation. The Ministry of Justice is the department that facilitates communication between
754-495: The time they are arrested, until convicted offenders have completed their sentence. The ministry is therefore responsible for all aspects of the criminal law, including the scope and content of criminal offences. Its responsibilities extend to the commissioning of prison services (through the National Offender Management Service ), rehabilitation and reducing offending, victim support, the probation service and
783-401: Was 177 days by the start of 2016. The Crown Court can hear appeals against conviction, sentence or both from those convicted in the magistrates' courts. Under this procedure, the Crown Court has the power to confirm, reject or alter any part of a decision. It may impose any sentence within the powers of a magistrate. In 2015 the Crown Court heard 11,348 appeals and the average waiting time
812-412: Was 8.8 weeks in 2015. Defendants may be committed from a magistrates' court where its sentencing powers are inadequate. This could be because: Committals may also arise from breaches of the terms of a Community Order or a suspended custodial sentence. In 2015, the Crown Court dealt with 30,802 cases for sentencing from the magistrates' courts. From Crown Court trials on indictment, appeal lies to
841-701: Was transferred back to the ministry as well as the three offices for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland until 2019 when it was transferred to the Minister for the Union in the Prime Minister's Office . Reform of the House of Lords was given to the Leader of the House of Lords and the Cabinet Office . The West Lothian Question was given to the Leader of the House of Commons as was electoral policy and political party funding reform which
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