Category: Law

Since 1949 it has been possible to apply for financial help with legal costs under the Legal Aid provisions. These were intended specifically for those on low incomes, thereby ensuring that all citizens are able to access legal advice and representation, much needed in a complex system in which legal fees can build up in a bewildering spiral, or so it may seem to the ordinary person.

Of course, this has cost the tax-payers billions of pounds, but in 2012 the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) reduced the number of people eligible to receive Legal Aid. Only serious cases are now considered, according to set criteria. However, there are charities such as Citizens Advice, the Law Centres and LawWorks clinics among others, which can offer assistance.

Unfortunately, it is thought that LASPO is a factor in the increased number of people representing themselves in court with limited knowledge of what to do or say.

(Image: Rawpixel Ltd at Flickr.com / CC BY 2.0)

Until 1994, shops in the UK were generally not allowed to open on a Sunday, for religious reasons.  Since then, ‘large’ shops ~ those with a floor area of more than 3,000 sq.ft. ~ have been able to open for a single six-hour period any time between 10am and 6pm. Certain shops are allowed to open for longer ~ those in airports and petrol stations, for instance (gov.uk). There are no restrictions on any of the other six days of the week.

For ‘small’ shops ~ those with a floor area of less than 3,000 sq.ft. ~ there are no restrictions at all, even on a Sunday. However, all shops are obliged to close on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. In Scotland, the Sunday opening hours can be longer than in England and Wales; in N.Ireland they are shorter, but there are variations across the UK according to local demand.

(Image of Birmingham Bullring shopping centre: MallSecrets at Flickr.com / CC BY-SA 2.0)

Most people on the Electoral Register are eligible to be officially requested to do jury service at a Crown Court. Random selection of people aged 18-75 is made by a computer. Jurors must have been resident in the UK for at least 5 years since their 13th birthday. Jury service is deemed to be a citizen’s duty but is also an exercise of our democratic right to judge the law.

The principle behind juries is to have unbiased decisions on trial outcomes. Therefore, each juror must be a stranger to all involved in the prosecution and defence. A juror can be rejected for mental impairment or if they fail a DBS check and/or is a convicted criminal.

If a chosen person does not attend the Court on the notified date, they can be fined £1,000. Of the group of jury candidates that are summoned, 12 will be chosen by the Court Clerk (15 in Scotland). However, a juror can also be rejected by the lawyers and one of the remaining candidates put in their place.

Verdicts of ‘guilty’ or ‘not gullty’ are decided by a simple majority of 10, except in Scotland, where the majority is 8 and a third option of ‘not proven’ can be decided.

(Image [cropped]: Ian Forrester at Flickr.com / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The last death penalties carried out in the UK were in 1964, when convicted murderers Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans were hanged. However, it was not until 1998 that execution was entirely abolished. The punishment for the most severe crimes, such as murder, is now life imprisonment.

After a certain length of time, prisoners may be eligible for parole, which means that they could be released with some restrictions. Nevertheless, some prisoners do spend the whole of the rest of their lives in prison.

The photograph above is of H.M. Prison Manchester (otherwise known as ‘Strangeways’), which is a Category A men’s prison ~ Category A being the highest of four Categories of criminality. It was opened in 1868. It is one of eight high-security prisons for Category A prisoners, the other being Belmarsh, Frankland (nicknamed ‘Monster Mansion’), Full Sutton, Long Lartin, Wakefield, Whitemoor and Woodhill. The total prison population is around 90,000 of which perhaps 1,000+ are Category A and these are further classified as to their risk of escaping.

(Image: Peter McDermott at geograph.org.uk / CC BY-SA 2.0)

UK driving licences were first introduced in 1903 and anyone over 17 could apply for one, at a cost of 5/- (five shillings) per year. Driving tests did not come into the picture until 1934.

Today’s driving licences must be renewed every 10 years and when the driver reaches the age of 70. Thereafter, it must be renewed every three years. When renewing, you have the chance to change the photo on your licence to a more recent one. The fees for a new or replacement licence can be viewed on the Government website here.

When learning to drive, the first step is to apply for a provisional licence. This enables the holder to have lessons. The Highway Code must be learned and, when ready, the theory test is booked. If that is passed, the driving test can be booked. The driving part of the test takes about 40 minutes and various manoeuvres must be carried out, as directed by the examiner, as well as following an unknown route as directed by a sat-nav device.

Many people do not pass these tests the first time, but they can always book again…

(Top image: Phil Champion at geograph.org.uk / CC BY-NC 2.0)

A dog collar and tag are required by The Control of Dogs Order (1992) for all pet dogs when they are outside of their home, in case they get loose and become lost. The collar helps a person to take hold of the dog while assistance is called, for example. The ID tag enables the owner to be contacted and/or the dog to be returned directly. It is perhaps unwise to have the dog’s name on the tag, as a dog thief could fool the dog into thinking he’s not a threat but a friend.

Since 2016 it has also been a legal requirement to have your dog microchipped. This is not an alternative to ID tags but an additional measure. The owner’s contact details are registered on a Government-approved database, which can be updated if you move house. A vet has to insert the microchip and replace it if it stops working.

Other pets do not come under the same regulations, although DEFRA recommends microchipping them all!

(Top image: pxhere.com)