English Legal System in Action

This revised edition of "The Administration of Justice" considers the theory and practice of the operation of those institutions of the English legal system with which the ordinary citizen is most likely to have contact. It adopts as its focus the notion of access to justice. Throughout, the law in the books is measured against the law in action drawing both on official sources and on research studies into the operation of the system. Both the criminal and civil systems are considered, and the work of tribunals is given a prominent place in the consideration of the civil system. Major trends are identified and a new chapter considers the impact both of European Union law and of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights. The text provides an introduction to the English legal system and the individual, and raises questions about its ability to meet the needs of all its citizens by examining the themes of due process and access to justice. This book is intended for undergraduate law students studying the English legal system.Table of ContentPart I: Institutions and Processes; 1: Institutions and Processes; 2: European Influences; Part II: The Criminal Process; 3: Understanding the Criminal Justice System; 4: Magistrates Courts and the Crown Court; 5: Policing: On the Street; 6: Policing: in the Station and Into Court; 7: The Defendant in the Magistrates Court; 8: The Defendant in the Crown Court; 9: Challenging the Decision of the Trial Court; Part III: The Civil Process; 10: Understanding the Civil Process; 11: Dealing with Personal Injury Claims; 12: Dealing with Debt Cases; 13: Dealing with Small Claims; 14: Dealing with Social Security Benefit Claims; 15: Dealing with Unfair Dismissal Claims; 16: Review and Supervision; Part IV. The Provision of Legal Services; 17: Legal Services: The Legal Profession; 18: Legal Services: Delivery Systems; Part V: Recurring Themes; 19: Recurring themes.