Bouncing Back at Trial - A Guide for the Prosecution and Defence

Introduction

It’s the day of trial at last.

You’ve done all your prep, arrived at Court and a problem arises. Perhaps you or your opponent has forgotten to do something. What happens now?

If you prosecute and the case is thrown out, you might face hostile questions from annoyed witnesses and victims. If you defend, you may be compelled to press on to trial despite feeling wronged by a refusal to allow you more time. Moreover, the court will be following the new Better Case Management Revival Handbook approach to problems.

This virtual classroom seminar looks to establish who is at fault and what can you achieve in the circumstances. The law is now encapsulated in various Criminal Practice Directions which have overtaken old case law such as Picton.

The seminar will discuss the law, procedure and useful cases to make the best of a bad situation for both the defence and prosecution.

Where the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Act 2022 or the Judicial Review & Courts Act 2022 have implemented changes to legislation, the course will include these updates where relevant to subject matter.

Now updated to include changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules and the Criminal Practice Directions 2023, and recent High Court decisions on adjournments sought for absent witnesses and alleged non-disclosure.

What You Will Learn

This live broadcast will cover the following:

• A brief look at the key Criminal Procedure Rules
• The important Criminal Practice Directions
• How the Court deals with typical complaints - no witness/no disclosure/not enough disclosure/non- service of evidence/late service of evidence
• Section 8 applications on the day of trial
• Defective expert evidence
• No advocate
• The custody time limit consequences
• Remedies and sanctions
• Ethical issues
• Q&A

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.