Legaleagle Training
20 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE RULES 2020 (AS AMENDED) AND THE CRIMINAL PRACTICE DIRECTIONS 2023 – THURSDAY 14th MARCH 2024 BETWEEN 4PM AND 5PM
THERE ARE 50 RULES IN THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE RULES 2020 (AS AMENDED)
THERE ARE 14 CHAPTERS IN THE CRIMINAL PRACTICE DIRECTIONS 2023
Are you one of those people who feel that you have never quite got to grips with The Criminal Procedure Rules 2020 (as amended) and the Criminal Practice Directions 2023
The Lord Chief Justice has issued new Criminal Practice Directions 2023 replacing the 2015 edition
We now have The Criminal Procedure Rules 2020 and 7 amending Statutory Instruments
THESE NOTES WILL CONTAIN ALL THE DOCUMENTS IN THEIR ENTIRETY SUCH THAT YOU HAVE THEM ALL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS AND YOU WILL BE UP-TO- DATE AS AT APRIL 2024
You might think that the Rules and the Directions are not for you, but knowing them will assist you as an Advocate at Court and will also assist you, and keep you out of trouble, when involved in the preparation of the case
We all know that they are a bit dry but Colin will do his level best to breathe some life into both documents!
Have a look at the ‘20 things to know’ and see whether or not this is a course for you
This 1-hour ZOOM presentation by Colin Beaumont will be of benefit to anyone involved in advising clients in criminal matters.
It will be accompanied by a full set of notes. – Purchase here
The following 20 things will be considered:
1 – The relationship between The Criminal Procedure Rules and the Criminal Practice Directions and any other Directions made by the Court in the case
2 – An examination of Rule 3 in relation to Case Management – Directions that can legitimately be made by the Court and Directions that you might just wish to challenge
3 – An examination of Rule 4 in relation to the Service of Documents – can it be confirmed that he/she is aware of today’s proceedings such that the Court can legitimately proceed in absence
4 – An examination of Rule 7 – Starting a Prosecution in a Magistrates’ Court – a ‘must read’ for anyone involved in Magistrates’ Court proceedings – have the proceedings started properly in the sense of being lawful – have any relevant time periods within Section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts act 1980 been complied with – the general rule and exceptions to the general rule
5 – Initial Details of the Prosecution Case under Rule 8 – the information that should be available – the ‘trigger’ for the information to become available – Chapter 5 of the Criminal Practice Directions 2023 supplementing the information required by Rule 8
6 – Rule 9 – Allocation and sending for trial – you can see from the very title that this is a Rule well worth reading – amongst many other things it deals with the time periods within which evidence must be served by the prosecution upon the defence
7 – Rule 12 – Discontinuing a prosecution – the prosecution would like to discontinue the proceedings on the very day of the trial in the Magistrates’ Court – is this permissible under the Rules? – what would be your response as an Advocate? – how can you best protect your client’s position?
8 – Rule 15 – Disclosure – this is a term of art and relates solely to ‘unused material’– the ‘trigger’ whereby such material should be disclosed – the test – the duties upon the prosecution – the duties upon the defence
9 – Rule 19 – Expert evidence – an absolute must read for anyone wishing to instruct an expert in criminal proceedings – see also Chapter 7 of the Criminal Practice Directions 2023 which expands upon/supplements the information contained in Rule 19
10 – Rule 20 – Hearsay evidence – an important Rule setting out the practice and procedure in relation to the notice requirements – do note that the Rules now speak in terms of ‘business days’
11 – Rule 21 – Evidence of bad character – an important Rule setting out the practice and procedure in relation to the notice requirements – do note that the Rules now speak in terms of ‘business days’
12 – Rule 24 – Trial and sentence in a Magistrates’ Court – this Rule is full of really interesting stuff including the various stages of a trial from beginning to end and the test for a half-time submission
13 – Rule 29 – Road traffic penalties – quite short and well worth the read – deals with such things as the various types of disqualification that may be imposed and the procedure in relation to an application for the early removal of a disqualification
14 – Rule 45 – Costs – deals with the various costs orders that can be made and the tests in relation to them
15 – Chapter 4 of the Criminal Practice Directions – Custody on Bail – securities and sureties – failure to surrender to bail and consequences and penalties – bail during the trial itself
16 – Chapter 5 of the Criminal Practice Directions – Trial Management – worth the read in relation to the position concerning adjournments of trials
17 – Chapter 6 of the Criminal Practice Directions – Vulnerable People and Witness Evidence – lots of useful stuff in relation to Special Measures and Intermediaries
18 – Chapter 7 of the Criminal Practice Directions – Expert Evidence – declarations of truth in experts reports – admissibility generally – pre-hearing discussion of expert evidence
19 – Chapter 9 of the Criminal Practice Directions – Sentencing – indications of sentence – victim personal statements
20 – Chapter 10 of the Criminal Practice Directions – appeals to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) – a number of interesting points including ‘loss of time’ orders
IMPORTANT
PLEASE LET US KNOW THE EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE PERSON TO WHOM WE SHOULD SEND THE INVOICE IF IT IS TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF