What is the Difference Between Magistrates Court and Crown Court?

The main differences between Magistrates' Court and Crown Court are the types of cases they handle, their sentencing powers, and the legal professionals involved in the trials. Here are the key differences:

Magistrates' Court:

Handles less serious criminal cases, known as 'summary offences', and some 'either-way' offences, which can be heard in either the Magistrates' Court or the Crown Court.
Sentencing powers are limited, with a maximum of six months imprisonment for one either-way offence or 12 months imprisonment for multiple either-way offences.
Cases are heard by a panel of magistrates or a District Judge, without a jury.
Trials are generally quicker, with lower costs, and more rapid case progression.
Magistrates' Court trials have higher rates of conviction than Crown Court trials.

Crown Court:

Deals with the most serious criminal offenses, known as 'indictable-only offenses', which can only be heard by the Crown Court due to their seriousness.
Sentencing powers are more extensive, with a maximum of life imprisonment or without limit in certain cases, such as murder.
Cases are heard by a judge, with a jury of 12 members of the public.
Trials are usually more expensive and may take longer to prepare and conclude.
Crown Court judges may have a more sophisticated or expert understanding of the law in particular areas.

In summary, Magistrates' Courts handle less serious cases and have limited sentencing powers, while Crown Courts deal with more serious offenses and have more extensive sentencing powers. The type of legal professional involved in the trial and the presence of a jury also differentiate the two courts.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Magistrates Court and Crown Court?

Comparative Table: Magistrates Court vs Crown Court

Here is a table comparing the differences between Magistrates' Court and Crown Court:

Feature	Magistrates' Court	Crown Court
Jurisdiction	Hears cases of petty nature, 95% of civil and criminal cases	Primarily deals with more serious offenses and appeals from Magistrates' Court
Sentencing Powers	Limited sentencing powers, up to 6 months imprisonment for one either-way offense or 12 months imprisonment for multiple either-way offenses	Sentencing powers are more extensive
Decision Maker	Panel of magistrates or a District Judge	Judge and jury, with the judge resolving any issues of law, and the jury ultimately deciding whether to convict by applying the law to the facts
Costs	Costs are usually lower than Crown Court	Costs are usually higher than Magistrates' Court
Trial Duration	Cases usually get to trial more quickly than Crown Court	Cases usually take longer to go to trial than Magistrates' Court
Conviction Rates	Magistrates' Court trials have higher rates of conviction than Crown Court trials

In summary, Magistrates' Court handles less serious cases with limited sentencing powers and a faster trial process, while Crown Court deals with more serious offenses, has more extensive sentencing powers, and involves a judge and jury in decision-making.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.