Chapter 2 - The Law

• the law regulates our behavior
• justice means giving each person what they deserve
• fairness involves making judgements that fit the circumstances of a particular case without being influenced by personal feelings or interests
• homicide includes murder and manslaughter
• crown court is the court used by the state to prosecute serious crimes, such as murder
• discrimination is unfavourable treatment often based on prejudice
• The equality act 2010:

  age

  disability

  gender reassignment

  marriage and civil partnership

  pregnancy and maternity

  race

  religion and belief

  sex

  sexual orientation
• citizens advice is a charity that provides free, confidential and impartial advice to people on a wide range of issues
• employment tribunal - a tribunal set up to hear employment disputes and make decisions
• advisory, conciliation and arbitration servive provides free and impartial information and advice to employees and employers
• the supreme court is the final court of appeal in the uk for civil cases and criminal cases in England, Wales and NI
• state - an organised political community under one government
• a small claim is a claim for less than £10,000
• county courts deal with civil matters such as finalcial or housing disputes
• the defendant is the person accused of an offence
• a jury is a group of people who are chosen to decide if someone is guilty or not guilty
• information commissioners office (ICO) - responsible for enforcing the data protection act
• data protection act 1998 - protects personal data and ensures that it is processed fairly and lawfully
• legal aid is available for people who cannot afford a lawyer and are accused of a crime
• solicitors are members of the legal profession qualified to deal with property transfers
• work to rule - when employees refuse to do their job unless they are given certain conditions
• a barrister is a lawyer who specialises in court work and is qualified to practise in the courts
• magistrates court is a court through which all criminal cases pass
• joint enterprise - where two or more people commit a crime together, but one person is responsible for the whole offence
• public order offences are crimes that are committed in public and are not necessarily violent
• inchoate offences are crimes that are not yet complete, but are still in the process of being committed
• 'no win no fee' - a lawyer will not get paid unless they win the case
• crown prosecution service (CPS) - the organisation that decides whether to prosecute
• legislation - acts or laws passed by parliament or assembly
• the english law system is founded on common law
• when a country joins the EU, it allows most EU law to become part of its own national law
• legal jurisdiction - an area of land where a particular legal system has authority
• devolution of power is the transfer of some decision making to local control