Exploring The Criminal Practice Directions 2023

Introduction

Whether you specialise in defence or prosecution matters it is important that you have a working knowledge of the very important document issued by the Lord Chief Justice - The Criminal Practice Directions 2023.

These Directions replace, almost entirely, the 2015 Directions. The document consists of some 14 chapters and runs to 132 pages.

This live session will consider some of the more important chapters and deal with issues that regularly arise in criminal matters.

What You Will Learn

This live broadcast will cover the following:

• Those parts of the 2015 Directions still in force
• The purpose and function of the Directions and how they assist in your everyday work
• The important relationship between the Rules and the Directions
• Chapter 4 - Custody and Bail
• Securities and sureties
• Failure to surrender to bail
• Initiation of criminal proceedings
• Adjournments
• Burden upon the accused to prove a reasonable cause for failure to surrender
• Surrender to court on the warrant
• Actions to be taken by the Court
• Refusal of bail during the trial itself
• Chapter 5 - Trial Management
• Circumstances in which the court should order a pre-sentence report
• Initial details of the prosecution Case (IDPC)
• Adjournments of trials
• Absence of the defendant
• How the court should proceed where the defendant is 18 or over
• How the court should proceed where the defendant is under 18
• Non-appearance of witnesses
• Late evidence produced at trial
• Failure on the part of the prosecution to comply with disclosure obligations
• Chapter 6 - Vulnerable People and Witness Evidence
• Chapter 7 - Sentencing
• Pre-sentence reports
• Committals for sentence
• Guilty pleas on a basis
• Newton hearings
• Chapter 10 - Appeals to the Court of Appeal - loss of time orders made by the Single Judge or by the Full Court

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.