Law
laws are important rules of a country, used to protect people's rights, if law is broken Gardaí arrest person and courts decide if law was broken
Ignorance of Law is no Defence
important to know what ages it's legal to do things
could be arrested without knowing you could be
The Garda Síochána
Department of Justice responsible for Gardaí
11, 000 on duty and mostly unarmed
used to help in burglaries, traffic accidents
Special units set up in certain cases
Drug Unit / Forensic Science Lab
Community Alert and Neighbourhood watch help gardaí keep people safe
Courts System
laws
criminal law
civil law
criminal offences
personal cases like work accident
Courts
Children's Court
no jury cases held in private
minor crimes by children under 16
District court
23 courts, face fine of 1,270 or 2 years prison time, no jury
road traffic offences can give 6,350 in compensation
Circuit Court
8 courts, has a judge and jury
assault and burglary, can award 38,000 for civil cases
High OCurt
Criminal cases, 17 judges and jury system
cases like murder and civil cases like suing hospitals
Special Criminal Court
three judges, no jury
cases against State, IRA affiliation
Court of Criminal Appeal
new fewer than 3 judges, no jury
appeal cases from, circuit, special + central criminal
Supreme Court
Five judges if constitutional matter, no jury
Who's in court
Counsel = barristers who prosecute or defend case
Tipstaff
helps judge, walks ahead of judge with a staff
accused
person accused of committing a crime
prison officer
sits with accused
Jury
consist of 12 men or women who attend court they decide guilty or not
solicitor
meet clients to get instructions and choose barrister to represent
Registrar
assist judge, takes name and results, administrates oath
The Judge
in charge of proceedings, chooses fate if no jury, decides legal issues
Stenographer
takes note of everything said
Witness
used to help their side by using evidence, can be cross examined to test accuracy
Defence Forces
Army, Air Corps and Naval service
used ot ensure security of Irish state adn citizens
used for United Nations peacekeeping missions
army protect money transports
naval help in against drug trafficking and search and rescue
air corps involved in many searches