Describe the Role and Power of Magistrates
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... rily. If he elects for the Crown Court then the magistrates will commit him to the Crown Court for trial. Only then is the plea formally taken. By whichever route, if the magistrates, on hearing more detail and other factors about the case (and associated charges) including previous convictions, consider that their powers are insufficient then they can commit the defendant to the Crown Court for sentence at any stage in the proceedings between conviction and disposal. Many cases can only be tried in a Magistrates' Court. These are the summary ones, the most serious of these carrying the maximum penalty of a Magistrates' Court of a fine of 5000 pounds or six months imprisonment. Bail procedures exist to enable an accused to stay out of jail and to insure that the accused will appear for trial. Magistrates decide the terms of bail by examining certain facts about t ...
