Lay People: Magistrates and Juries | AQA A-Level Law (7162)
Lay People: Magistrates and Juries
- 57 questions
- 4 subtopics
- The nature of law and the English legal system, 25 marks on every paper
- Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3
Who magistrates and jurors are, how they are selected and what each decides — with the arguments for and against leaving verdicts to lay people..
It covers who the Magistrates Are, jury Selection and Eligibility, the Case for Trial by Jury and juries: Representation, Secrecy and Equity.
Sample questions from Lay People: Magistrates and Juries
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Who the Magistrates Are
What is the maximum prison sentence magistrates can impose for a single summary offence?
Show the answer
6 months' imprisonment. -
Who the Magistrates Are
Who formally appoints magistrates and on whose recommendation?
Show the answer
The Lord Chief Justice appoints them, on the recommendation of local advisory committees. -
Jury Selection and Eligibility
How are jurors selected for jury service?
Show the answer
They are selected randomly from the electoral register. -
Jury Selection and Eligibility
Name three categories of people who are disqualified from jury service.
Show the answer
Those who have received certain criminal sentences, those on bail, and those with mental disorders. -
The Case for Trial by Jury
What advantage do juries offer in terms of their composition and perspective?
Show the answer
They represent a cross-section of society and bring common sense to legal proceedings. -
The Case for Trial by Jury
Why is it difficult to understand how a jury reached its decision?
Show the answer
Jury verdicts are not reasoned, so it is unclear how decisions are reached. -
Juries: Representation, Secrecy and Equity
Why do jury verdicts tend to carry public confidence and legitimacy?
Show the answer
Because they represent the judgment of peers rather than professional judges, giving the verdict democratic legitimacy. -
Juries: Representation, Secrecy and Equity
What type of criminal trial do juries particularly struggle with, and why?
Show the answer
Juries may struggle with lengthy or complex fraud trials involving detailed financial evidence.
The 4 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Who the Magistrates Are | Recall questions on what magistrates are and what else they are called, how many sit together and who assists them on law and procedure. | 16 |
| Jury Selection and Eligibility | Recall questions on the size and role of a criminal jury, the secrecy of deliberations, how jurors are selected, the age, residency and other eligibility rules, disqualification, compulsory service and majority verdicts. | 12 |
| The Case for Trial by Jury | Recall questions on public participation, jury equity, the benefit of secret deliberation and independence from the state. | 12 |
| Juries: Representation, Secrecy and Equity | Recall questions on citizen involvement, how far a jury represents the community, the value of secrecy and what jury equity means. | 17 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Law Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,352 questions with their answers.