How to impress Magistrates
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How to impress Magistrates
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime...an-2008311.html
I'd think that if you go in front of a magistrate and dictate their rules to them then they will give you the worst penalty they can within the law.
If she'd been a little less obnoxious maybe they would have given her a ban rather than the points – who knows-?
Baird, who represented herself, began by telling magistrates she had checked their sentencing guidelines on the internet.
She informed them that they could impose between four and six penalty points or hand down a 28 day driving ban.
She informed them that they could impose between four and six penalty points or hand down a 28 day driving ban.
I'd think that if you go in front of a magistrate and dictate their rules to them then they will give you the worst penalty they can within the law.
If she'd been a little less obnoxious maybe they would have given her a ban rather than the points – who knows-?
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From: Leafy Surrey
Well there are a few heads up there,
She is an EX solicitor - Was obviously crap at that.
And she is an EX MP - crap at that too then.
She should have known better and gone in and been humble to the magistrates rather than all dictatorial. Deserved everything she got.
She is an EX solicitor - Was obviously crap at that.
And she is an EX MP - crap at that too then.
She should have known better and gone in and been humble to the magistrates rather than all dictatorial. Deserved everything she got.
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From: Cheshire
Originally Posted by Bramblecat,Jun 24 2010, 02:22 PM
She is an EX solicitor - Was obviously crap at that.
In point of fact, she is a former barrister - and a QC, no less.
She either must have been VERY out of practice in how to deal with a bench of beaks, or wasn't a criminal practitioner in the first place.....
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From: Leafy Surrey
Originally Posted by Lurking Lawyer,Jun 24 2010, 02:26 PM
Solicitor-General is a political post - and it's very rarely occupied by those who have previously qualified as a solicitor!
In point of fact, she is a former barrister - and a QC, no less.
She either must have been VERY out of practice in how to deal with a bench of beaks, or wasn't a criminal practitioner in the first place.....
In point of fact, she is a former barrister - and a QC, no less.
She either must have been VERY out of practice in how to deal with a bench of beaks, or wasn't a criminal practitioner in the first place.....
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Originally Posted by Lurking Lawyer,Jun 24 2010, 02:26 PM
Solicitor-General is a political post - and it's very rarely occupied by those who have previously qualified as a solicitor!
In point of fact, she is a former barrister - and a QC, no less.
She either must have been VERY out of practice in how to deal with a bench of beaks, or wasn't a criminal practitioner in the first place.....
In point of fact, she is a former barrister - and a QC, no less.
She either must have been VERY out of practice in how to deal with a bench of beaks, or wasn't a criminal practitioner in the first place.....
Serves her right - in all honesty the fine / points weren't harsh, the fact she had 7 existing ones ...... she should have STFU and let things play their course.
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From: Cheshire
Originally Posted by unclefester,Jun 24 2010, 03:24 PM
Or cleanly forgot which side of the bench she was on and why she was there in the first place
The SG doesn't involve judicial role - the post is one of the law officers of state, and advisers to the government, and I don't think she sat as a deputy judge while she was in practice.
Anyway, for someone who should have been familiar with the way a court works - even if she was used to civil practice or criminal practice in the Crown Court - ANY advocate worth their salt knows that there are ways and means of letting a judge know what his sentencing parameters are.....