Criminal Litigation and Sentencing

Criminal Litigation and Sentencing provides details of the relevant law and rules which apply to criminal cases, and deals with the elements of procedure and sentencing at various stages of the criminal process from the commencement of the prosecution to hearings in the magistrates' court or youth court, the Crown Court, and the Court of Appeal. It provides students with an overview of the legal framework which underlies all criminal proceedings, thoroughly preparing them for further experience in this field. This manual shows clearly and concisely the stages of the criminal process to ensure that students gain an excellent working knowledge of how litigation theory applies in practice. Appeals against both conviction (or acquittal) and sentence are considered as is the practice and law of sentencing, familiarising the student with all the important procedure they may encounter. This new edition looks at recent developments in the criminal justice system originating in the continued implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. It also includes additions to the Criminal Procedure Rules 2005, recent legislation, such as the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, and the continuing evolution of sentencing principles and practice under the supervision of the Sentencing Guidelines Council. Significant cases where the Court of Appeal sometimes made dramatic changes to established principles are also featured, including Goodyear, Miles, and Lang. This guarantees that students are using the most up-to-date information, something which is crucial when studying this ever-changing area of the law. Finally, there is recognition of the increasing use and importance of anti-social behaviour orders within the criminal justice system, with full consideration of relevant law and practice in this developing area.