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Starting with law: An overview of the law
Starting with law: An overview of the law

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Y166 Glossary

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Glossary for Y166 Starting with law

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C

Civil justice system

This term is used to refer to the system that has been created to hear civil law matters.

Constitution

Constitutions set out the rights and duties of the state and its citizens. The UK’s constitution is unwritten and is therefore to be found in a variety of sources, including Acts of Parliament and case law. A constitution outlines the basic law of a state, regulating how it is governed.

Criminal justice system

The criminal justice system deals with criminal cases. The term is used to refer to both the courts that hear initial cases and the appeals structure. Criminal cases usually start in a magistrates’ court but the more serious cases will be heard in a crown court.

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