Section Two: Adjournments and Bail

Introduction

Making a decision about what will happen next to a person who has come to court for the first time is one of the most common court tasks assigned to Justices. Justices often sit alone for this type of hearing, although when you are first on the panel of course you will not be left alone.

To make your decision you will use a combination of statutory power, common sense and sometimes discussion with the prosecutor, lawyer and Registrar about what is the best way forward for a particular defendant

Deciding whether or not to release someone on bail can be a tricky balancing exercise for which all your powers of judgement will be required; while adjourning the case to another date to be dealt with by a Judge is more akin to an administrative task.

Reading

• Judicial JP Manual, chapter 9