Criminal courts
Crown Court
A Crown Court:
- normally has a jury which decides if you’re guilty or not (the ‘verdict’)
- has a judge who decides what punishment (or ‘sentence’) you get
Your solicitor (if you have one) can explain what happens in court - the judge and court staff will also give instructions about the trial.
You can see what cases a court is hearing each day and check their progress on the court lists.
Cases a Crown Court deals with
A Crown Court deals with serious criminal cases, for example:
- murder
- rape
- robbery
It also deals with:
- appeals against a magistrates’ court conviction or sentence
- cases passed from a magistrates’ court for trial or sentencing
Sentences a Crown Court can give
A Crown Court can give a range of sentences including:
- community sentences
- prison sentences - including life sentences
Appealing your sentence or conviction
You may be able to appeal against the Crown Court verdict if you disagree with it.
Asking for a sentence to be reviewed
You can ask for a Crown Court sentence review for certain types of cases if the sentence seems too low. Anyone can ask for a sentence to be reviewed - you do not have to be involved in the case.