Glossary

Accused - a person charged with an offence

Barrister - a person who has followed a course of legal training and has qualified as competent to represent people in court

Crown Court - a law court where cases against people accused of serious crimes are tried by a judge and jury

Crown Advocate - Crown Advocates review and prepare cases, decide on trial tactics and provide pre-charge advice. They may also present some cases in court.

Cross-examination - to ask detailed questions of a witness in court to find out if they are telling the truth

Crown Prosecutor - Crown Prosecutors are senior qualified lawyers employed by the Crown Prosecution Service who review, prepare and prosecute a whole range of cases in court

Defendant - a person who is accused of committing a crime

Defending Counsel - a qualified lawyer who defends someone accused of a crime in a court of law

Evidence - solid reasons for believing that something has or hasn't happened

Judge - a person in charge of a trial in court who makes sure that the trial is fair, the law is followed, and passes sentence if the defendant is found guilty

Jury - twelve people who have been chosen to listen to all the facts in a trial in a law court and to decide whether a person is guilty or not guilty

Magistrate - a person who acts as a judge in a magistrates' court

Magistrates' court - less serious criminal offences, family cases, such as divorce proceedings and youth offences are usually tried at a magistrates' court

Offence - a crime or illegal act

Prosecutor - a trained lawyer who tries to prove the defendant guilty of committing a crime in a court of law

Sentence - a punishment given by a judge in a court

Solicitor - a type of lawyer who is trained to give advice and prepare cases and can defend (or represent) people in magistrates court

Witness - a person who stands up in court to state what they know after taking an oath to tell the truth