DP 10 (3.1.

10): - the need for legal practitioners in a criminal case

Key Skills

• Define and use key legal terminology

• Discuss, interpret and analyse legal principles and information

Essential question?

Why do we need legal practiioners in a criminal trial?

Key personnel in a criminal trial:

• Judge
• Jury
• Prosecution
parties
• Defence/Accused
• Legal Practitioners:
o Barrister
o Solicitor

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS: Use legal expertise to support parties

• Trained lawyers represent each party in a trial

• The prosecution will always be represented by a legal professional, - Crown prosecutors
employed by the government. Whilst, it is the responsibility of the accused person to retain
their own legal representative- sometimes through Legal Aid. If you don’t have Legal Aid,
you will have to represent yourself
• Barristers present the case within the trial
• Solicitors provide administrative support- will brief the barrister on the case
 What they do Limitations of this
Barrister Examine witnesses and cross- Expensive – daily fees which can easily
examine the oppositions climb into the $1000+ range
witnesses Links to access

Develop and present

arguments to the jury

Deliver opening and closing

addresses
Solicitor Prepare evidence and prepare Expensive – ongoing fees for all work
witnesses linked to the case
Links to access
Provide ongoing legal advice to
a client

Prepare any required briefs for

the courts (eg. Hands-up brief
from the prosecution at
committals)

Brief the barrister

Support the barrister in the

courtroom