Chapter 13 Self-test Questions

The criminal process: pre-trial and trial

All criminal offences are indictable offences.

Which of the following statements about indictable offences is correct?

If a district judge decides that a confession is inadmissible in evidence, the same district judge cannot hear the trial.

The police investigate criminal offences but prosecutions must be brought by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Which of the following statements is true?

An adult who commits an offence of being drunk in a public place may be given a _______ notice for disorderly behaviour.

Which of the following were the aims of the Government in commissioning the Auld Review of the criminal courts? Please select all that apply.

Which of the following statements is true?

Which of the following steps can the magistrates' court take if a defendant who is charged with a summary only offence pleads guilty at the first hearing? Please select all that apply.

Where an offence is triable either way, the hearing at which the court determines the appropriate venue for trial is known as the __________ hearing.

A plea and trial preparation hearing must take place where a case is to be tried in the Crown Court.

A count on indictment must contain a statement of the offence and brief details, which are known as ___________ of the offence.

An indictment may name more than one defendant and may contain more than one count.

An agreement to plead guilty in exchange for a specific sentence is known as a ____ _______.

At what stage of proceedings can a defendant seek a Goodyear indication?

An order that a defendant will be kept in custody or on bail between court hearing dates is known as a ______.

It is not possible to remand a defendant in custody prior to conviction because this would breach their rights under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to liberty).

Which of the following are conditions that can properly be attached to a defendant's bail? Please select all that apply.

When preparing for trial, the prosecution is required to disclose to the defence any material that might undermine the prosecution case.

Material that is relevant to the case but upon which the prosecution do not intend to rely is called ______ material.

A defendant is required to confirm which witnesses they will call to give evidence on their behalf.

A criminal trial normally takes place in public.

At a trial on indictment, what is the first stage of proceedings after the jury has been sworn?

A defendant is always entitled to represent himself and to cross-examine witnesses personally.

Before the jury retires to consider its verdict, the trial judge will ___ __ the case.
Before the jury retires to consider its verdict, the trial judge will sum up the case. This involves reminding the jury of the evidence and giving them legal directions.

Which of the following can hear a trial in a magistrates' court? Please select all that apply.

When lay magistrates hear a trial, the legal adviser makes decisions of law and the magistrates make decisions of fact.

Where the prosecution bears the burden of proof in a criminal case, the standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt.

Which of the following are grounds upon which the prosecution may be permitted to introduce evidence of a defendant's bad character in a Crown Court trial? Please select all that apply.

A defendant is not entitled to adduce evidence of their own good character.

A defendant must give evidence at their trial as part of the defence case.

A jury in a criminal trial always starts out with twelve jurors. Assuming that there are still twelve jurors present at the conclusion of the trial, how many of them must agree for a majority verdict?

Where three lay magistrates preside over a trial, they must reach a unanimous verdict.

A person who has been acquitted of murder cannot be tried again for the same offence due to the double jeopardy rule.

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