Criminal offences under Northern Ireland law may be tried either summarily in the magistrate’s court or on indictment in the criminal court. A number of offences may be tried either way depending on their seriousness and circumstances. Terrorist-type offences are subject to separate legislation. Summary offences are the less serious offences. They are tried in […]
The Magistrate’s Court is presided over by a Resident Magistrate. It may be constituted by a Resident Magistrate or a lay Magistrate sitting out of Petty Sessions. Magistrate’s Court deals with summary offences or indictable offences which are dealt with summarily. The Magistrate’s Court also deals with the – with committal proceedings in a case […]
There is an initial committal hearing in the magistrate’s court. The purpose is to determine whether there is a case for the accused to answer, i.e., an apparent basis for prosecution. If this is found, the accused is committed for trial to the crown court. Committal proceedings may take place by way of a preliminary […]
The Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 abolished the distinction between felonies and misdemeanours. This applies to both substantive classification and procedural matters relating to such offences. A person may use force that is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of a crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders, […]