The Judge's Charge in Criminal Trials

This practitioner -orientated text is the only stand-alone work in Ireland or the United Kingdom that offers a comprehensive examination of the legal principles governing charging a jury in a criminal trial.

It offeres detailed guidance on the appropriate directions to be given to the jury in relation to the most commonly recurring issues in criminal practice and takes account of recent developments including those contained in the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 and the Criminal Justice Acts 2006-2007.

Selected matters covered in this work include:-

• The structure and fundamental principles of summing up;
• The respective roles of judge and jury;
• Charging on the bruden and standard of proof;
• The extent of permissable comment;
• Charging on inferences and the right to silence;
• Directions on participation;
• Charging inchoate offences;
• Directions on the majority verdict;
• Charging on the mens rea;
• Charging on defences including duress, intoxication, insanity, diminished responsibility, automatism, provacation etc;
• Offences including murder and manslaughter.