Day 2: Learning London

Today we started with a tour of the Magistrates criminal court.

This is the lowest of the courts here, so it is similar to Cass or Dawes county court. Of course there are plenty of differences as well. All criminal cases start at the Magistrates court- murder, theft, parking ticket. The more serious cases (murder, rape) are heard by the magistrates before being passed onto the Crown court. I think they have read yesterday’s blog and found out about me taking pictures when I was not suppose to, because all cameras were taken when we first entered the building. These cases are heard by either a district judge or 3 magistrates. A district judge is like our judges- they are trained. Magistrate’s aren’t- they are volunteers who get a basic-course in criminal law and then given judgment power, so it is similar to a 3-person jury that hears more than just one case. They are given a legal advisor however. In the courtroom itself, there are also some differences. Here the defendant sits separate from his lawyer, in this case it was in a glass cage type thing. The prosecutor and defense lawyer are seated on the same table and the three magistrates (or one district judge) are raised on a platform in the front of the room. They do not have a gavel. The prosecutors are actually called solicitors and barristers. Solicitors mainly deal with magistrate courts, they are more small time and work directly with clients. Barristers are more for the higher Crown Court and most of the time are referred clients.

Another difference is in language. United Kingdom bail has nothing to do with money. (Refresher for Americans: Bail is an amount you pay to get out of jail. If you do not post bail, you are held in jail from your arrest to your court date. It is meant as a deterrent for skipping your court date) UK bail is just our idea of bail- getting out of jail until your court date. You don’t have to pay money, the judge/s just grant you ‘bail’. It is somewhat similar to our probation because it can be unconditioned or conditioned (I saw one conditioned with no unsupervised contact with minor). I was really amazed at the workings of the court. The magistrate judges I watched today heard a drink driving case (no I didn’t spell that wrong, that is how they say it here), a theft, and an appeal for a warrant from a police officer. From my experience with the U.S. judges, these sorts of cases aren’t heard together. Warrants are typically issued outside the courtroom, or at least when the court is not in session.

Here is a example of a magistrate court room from the internet. Except trade the places of the defendant and the public and there were no ushers. Oh, and there was no jury there obviously. 

          1. Judge

         2. Jury

         3. Prosecution

         4. Defense

         5. Press

         6. Public

         7. Defendant

         8. Usher

         9. Witness

My one example of the many court procedures I witnessed today I am going to make into my own sermon. I saw a drink driving case and it was of a well-dressed older man in his 60’s who had no previous record. He had one of his four (???) headlights out and was pulled over after having a few glasses of wine with friends. Long story short, he pleaded guilty and the Magistrate judges gave him a fine of ₤270 (about $400) and 18 months without a license. Many of my classmates were shocked to hear such a harsh sentence, and I must admit initially I was also. But I believe this was a just sentence and that the U.S. should also treat drunk driving the same. I hate with a passion that we frequently allow drunk drivers to simply pay a fine and return to society to reoffend. Anyway, know that the U.K has harder sentencing for drunk drivers and I believe America should follow.

Anywho, so the Magistrates criminal court was extremely interesting and I enjoyed every minute of it. Following that, I adventured London’s underground with my roommate Danielle to get to the ISA office for free snacks and Internet. ISA is the organization that helped us obtain all of our tours and arrangements and they are awesome. But I will talk about them another day. My point is that together Danielle and I traveled the Tube (the subway) alone and didn’t get lost (mostly). I was very proud of myself. 

Here is a picture of the tube before ONCE AGAIN someone yelled at me for taking pictures. I think it was only because a train was coming because Dr. Nobiling said she always does and nobody bothers her. The differences between this subway and places like Washington D.C. or New York is crazy. In D.C. the subways were in much better and more modern condition, through the ground would be covered in litter and gum. In New York, the subway was the definition of disgusting in everyway. In London, the subways had a bit of a dated look to them, and an occasional broken elevator, but there was very little trash and it 'felt' clean (as in the walls weren't sticky like New York). 

Oh, fun fact! Street performers need a license to perform in the Tube, and are given a time and place to perform instead of having free rein to play all day. 

I finished my day with pigging out at a Chinese restaurant with some authentic ramen soup, working out at one of the gyms nearby, and finishing my night with a relaxing beer at the local pub. My second day here and I already feel like a local. Okay not quite, but I feel like I could someday be a local, which is a start.

Here is my Ramen. A bit better than the American brick-style kind huh?