The Study Legal English Podcast

Latest Episodes:

74: Civil v Criminal - what's the difference? (Monologue) May 27, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode is an overview of the differences between criminal and civil proceedings. We look at:

The type of parties involved
The sort of matters dealt with
The names of the parties in proceedings
The way cases are cited
The burden and standard of proof
The consequences following a trial

We also cover some key Legal English vocabulary on this topic. Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

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This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 6): An Introduction to Civil Procedure.

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73: How do the courts decide whether or not to grant bail? (Article) May 13, 2019

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🗒️ About this episode: This episode is all about bail. I read an extract from an article 'How do the courts decide whether or not to grant bail?' written by Lucy Trevelyan and published on the In Brief website. In Brief is a great website to access free articles about the laws of England and Wales. The episode includes information about:

What bail is
Police powers to grant bail
When bail is refused
Key Legal English vocabulary about bail

Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

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This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure.

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72: Disclosure in Criminal Cases (Article) Apr 29, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode looks at the duty of disclosure in criminal proceedings. It features an edited version of the blog article ‘Disclosure in Criminal Cases’ from criminal defence barrister Christopher Kessling's website. The original article is available here. The episode answers the questions:

Why is dislosure so important?
What is the Duty of Disclosure on the Prosecution in a Criminal Case?

I also ask listeners the questions:

What is the law on disclosure of evidence in criminal proceedings in your country?
How can withholding information in criminal trials cause miscarriages of justice?

Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure.

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71: The Layout of Criminal Courts (Monologue) Apr 22, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode looks at the layout of the magistrates’ court and Crown Court, including different features and where various people sit or stand. We also cover some key Legal English vocabulary related to the word ‘dock’.

I ask the question:
What do you think about the use of the dock and is it used in your country? Do you think it’s necessary to protect the public from the defendant or does it violate the defendant’s right to a fair trial? Send in your comments to louise@studylegalenglish.com

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure
Take a ⁠virtual tour⁠ of a Crown Court replica at Derby University
Look inside the ⁠magistrates’ court⁠
Look inside the ⁠Crown Court⁠.

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70: Sentencing of Offenders (Monologue) Apr 08, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode focuses on sentencing of offenders who are guilty of committing a criminal offence. It answers the following questions:

Who can be sentenced?
Who passes sentence?
What types of sentences are there?
What is the process for reaching a sentencing decision?

Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure

⁠A few good videos⁠ with transcripts available from the Sentencing Council.
⁠Legal English teacher resources⁠ on sentencing from the Sentencing Council.
Sentencing guidelines for both the ⁠magistrates’ court⁠ and ⁠Crown Court⁠ from the Sentencing Council.
⁠Information about how sentencing works⁠ on Defence barrister Christopher Kessling's helpful site.

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69: A Criminal Trial in the Crown Court (Monologue) Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode focuses on what happens in a criminal trial in the Crown Court and includes information about:

● the differences between summary trial and trial on indictment
● the different roles of the judge and jury
● lots of Legal English vocabulary

Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure
⁠See a Crown Court trial⁠ in reality, visit the 'Old Bailey' Central Criminal Court.
⁠Learn more⁠ on Defence barrister Christopher Kessling's website.
⁠Watch a mock Crown Court trial⁠ with BBC 'Young Legal Eagles'.
The Ministry of Justice UK website has lots of free resources ⁠here⁠ including an excellent and fun resource ‘⁠You be the Judge⁠’.

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68: A Criminal Trial in the Magistrates' Court (Monologue) Mar 18, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episodes focuses on what happens in a criminal trial in the magistrates' court and includes information about:

the case for the prosecution
half-time submissions
the case for the defendant
lots of Legal English vocabulary

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure.
Some helpful resources are:⁠Criminal Procedure Rules Glossary⁠
⁠Defence barrister Christopher Kessling's website⁠

'⁠You be the Judge⁠' fun resource by the Ministry of Justice

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67: Before a Criminal Trial - The Pre-trial Hearing (Monologue) Mar 11, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode focuses on pre-trial criminal procedure, after the investigation stage and decision to prosecute. We look at what happens before the trial proper when the defendant must make his or her first appearance in the magistrates' court. This episode covers the initial appearance for each type of offence (summary-only, either-way and indictable-only) and includes information about:

what happens if a defendant pleads guilty or not
the decisions the magistrates' court has to make
paperless courtrooms.

This episode contains some helpful criminal law vocabulary which you can also find in the Criminal Procedure Rules Glossary. Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure.

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66: Criminal Investigations and Charging (Monologue) Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: This episode focuses on pre-trial criminal procedure including the investigation stage and decision to prosecute. We look at what happens after a crime has been committed but before a suspect goes to court for pre-trial hearings and a full criminal trial. This episode covers:

How police investigate crimes
How the police and Crown Prosecution Service make charging decisions
Dealing with low-level crime
Lots of Legal English vocabulary.

Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links

Website page
This episode is part of the English Legal System (Module 5): An Introduction to Criminal Procedure.

🥇Learn legal English

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65: Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (Monologue) Feb 18, 2019

Show notes

🗒️ About this episode: A brief introduction to the criminal justice system. This episode covers:

The role of the criminal justice system
Differences between civil and criminal law
Key institutions involved in the criminal justice system
Key Legal English vocabulary

This will act as a useful foundation before going into more detail about criminal procedure in the next episodes. Some other useful episodes for you to listen to will be episode 46, episode 47 and episode 48 to find out about the courts involved in criminal proceedings and the categorisation of criminal offences.

Leave your comments below or via email.

🙏This podcast is free to help people around the world. Please help support me and the podcast with a donation⁠.

📙Episode links