Explain the Role of Lay People and Lawyers in Criminal Cases

2965 Words12 Pages
The first lawyers that could openly practice were the lawyers in early ancient Rome. After the Emperor Claudius abolished a law enacted in 204 BC which prohibited Roman advocates to charge money for their service even though this law was widely ignored when it was still active. However Emperor Claudius imposed a fee limit of 10,000 sesterces which was apparently not much money. Nowadays this has changes and lawyers can earn a lot of money. This essay is to show the different roles of not only lawyers such as barristers and solicitors but also the use of lay people like juries of lay magistrates in the legal system but also point out their flaws and advantages. The lay people (non-legally qualified people) who are involved in criminal cases are: Magistrates and Jurors (Members of Juries) In the law system lay people are ordinary, non-qualified people who are unpaid. But it is believed that the use of lay people makes the law system fairer. Lay people are mostly used in Magistrates Courts and Crown Courts. Lay people can either be Magistrates or Jurors. They are a big sector of the legal system after all over 95 percent of criminal cases are dealt with by Magistrates. Magistrates: Magistrates are unqualified and non-paid people who work voluntarily for the legal system. There are two or three Magistrates to hear the cases in the Magistrates Court. There are only very few requirements for someone to become a judge. The first condition is the applicants have to be between the age of 18 and 65. Furthermore the job candidate has to live in the local area this is due to the fact that local, lay people probably have a better understanding of the ongoing problems in the certain area they live in and can so better evaluate the regional cases. Magistrates do work part time and have to fulfil at least twenty-six and a half days in court. They don't get any payment for
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