Magistrates' Courts Criminal Practice 2014

Magistrates’ Courts Criminal Practice 2014 provides, in one volume, a complete reference work for advocates and officials in the magistrates’ courts.

Designed to combine authority with practicality, this major work provides step-by-step advice on a vast array of court procedures following the normal progression of a case, from cautions and commencement of proceedings right through to appeals, including a thorough treatment of the law and practice of evidence as it relates to cases in the magistrates’ courts.

Magistrates’ Courts Criminal Practice 2014 includes:

Updated Procedural Guides

• Legal advice and representation – amended in light of the Legal Aid Agency created by Part 1 LASPO
• Indication of Plea, etc. – guidance on new ‘Initial Details’ (previously ‘Advance Information’)
• Youth Court – extensive amendments to include additional notes on scenarios where youth and adult are jointly charged with offences
• Evidence – significant new guidance on hearsay evidence and bad character
• Enforcement – amended in the light of changes to reparation orders

Consolidated Statutory Materials and Latest Procedural Rules

• Full text of the Criminal Procedure Rules 2013 and the new Criminal Procedure Directions, as well as updates to all statutory materials

Sentencing Guidance

• Full text of Sentencing Council Guidelines and relevant parts of the Youth Court Bench Book (2013)

Case-law

• All significant case-law developments, including: R v Tahery (hearsay evidence); R v Lodge, R v Dossett and R v Thompson (bad character); R (Purnell) (financial penalties); DPP v Fell (missing evidence); and R (Allan) v Croydon (anti-social behaviour orders)