A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y

Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate): the Chief Magistrate is responsible for: hearing many of the sensitive, long or complex cases in the magistrates’ courts and in particular extradition and special jurisdiction cases; supporting and guiding District Judge (Magistrates’ Court) colleagues; liaising with the senior judiciary and Presiding Judges on matters relating on Magistrates’ Courts and District Judges (Magistrates’ Court)

Sentencing Council: an independent body consisting of a Chairman, seven judges and six non-judicial members who develop sentencing guidelines and monitor the application of the guidelines by judges in court

Solicitor: a solicitor is a lawyer who provides clients with expert legal advice and assistance and prepares legal documents. He or she might work in a law firm or in central or local government, or an in-house legal department, for example, a bank or corporation.

Statutory Law: a law that has been passed by an Act of Parliament.

Summary Trial: trial taking place in a Magistrates' court.Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court was created under the terms of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, and completes the separation of the UK's legal and judicial systems. Justices of the Supreme Court will no longer be able to sit or vote in the House of Lords. Slightly confusingly, the High Court and Court of Appeal were originally parts of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. With the creation of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the English and Welsh Supreme Court was renamed the Senior Courts of England and Wales.

Suspended Sentence: a custodial sentence, but one which will not result in time spent in custody unless another offence is committed within a specified period.