Odger's English Common Law

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. 47
wrong-doers to compensate those whom they have injured,
and to abstain from any repetition of the wrongful act—when
it insists on the due performance of contracts and the pay-
ment of damages in case a contract is broken—the proceedings
are civil.
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Criminal proceedings are heard in the following courts :
Magistrates' Courts.
Borough Quarter Sessions.
County Quarter Sessions.
Assizes.
The Central Criminal Court.
The King's Bench Division of the High Court of
Justice.
The Court of Criminal Appeal.
The Blouse of Lords.
In criminal courts the proceedings usually commence with
a summons, bidding the accused appear in court before the
magistrates on a certain day : in some cases a warrant will be
issued at once for his arrest. Simple matters are disposed of
summarily by the magistrates. Graver cases are sent to
Quarter Sessions or to the Assizes for trial by a jury. In
these graver cases, the prosecution states in detail the precise
charge against the prisoner in a document which is called an
indictment. The trial commences by the accused person
being called upon to enter the dock and plead to the indictment
preferred against him. But no one now can be called
upon to do this, unless
(a) he has been committed by justices of the peace to take
his trial there on that charge, or
(b) the consent or direction in writing of a judge of the
High Court or of the Attorney-General or Solicitor- General
to the presentation of the indictment has been given. 1
In some few cases the prisoner must state his defence in a
written plea; but, as a rule, he merely pleads "Guilty" or
" Not guilty " orally from the dock. If he pleads guilty, or
if after pleading not guilty he is tried and convicted, he may
1 Grand Juries (Suspension) Act, 1917 (7 Geo. V., c. 4).
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