Crown Court

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Here at Watson Woodhouse, we have a team of criminal defence solicitors with a wealth of experience in Crown Court cases. If you’re facing a trial consisting of the utmost seriousness and complexity, we’re ready to help. Please contact us today to discuss your case.

Because sentencing powers are vastly greater at Crown Court it’s important to instruct an experienced solicitor quickly. Ideally, you require defence preparation at a very early stage and we will achieve this for you.

The Crown Court Process

If taking place in Crown Court you’ll initially attend Magistrates no matter how serious your case. In Crown Court, your case will be heard by a judge and 12 jurors. The prosecution will present their case using witnesses. The defence then has the opportunity to question witnesses in a ‘cross-examination’ with the aim of exposing weakness in the prosecution’s case.

The defence then presents their case. If the accused chooses to give evidence they will be cross-examined by the prosecution barrister.

Speaking to the jury the judge will summarise both the prosecution and defence cases. During this time the judge directs the jury to points of law arising during the case. They will also explain the burden and standard of proof the prosecution brings to the case and how this must be proven beyond all reasonable doubt in a guilty verdict.

The Crown Court Decision

Once all evidence has been heard and the judge has summarised, the jury leaves the courtroom. It’s their job to reach a verdict. Ideally, all 12 will agree but if a significant amount of time passes without a unanimous conclusion, the Judge will allow for a majority verdict. This is where at least 10 jurors agree.

Upon return to the courtroom, the jury foreman will present their decision to the court. If found guilty, the judge will impose a sentence whilst taking into account the seriousness of the case and the level of blame placed on the defendant.

Crown Court Representation

Successful representation at Crown Court requires a certain level of skill and dedication which Watson Woodhouse has in abundance. Some may place defendants under inappropriate pressure to plead guilty on the day of trial whilst others do not have a sufficient breadth of experience to effectively counter an experienced prosecutor. Each member of our Crown Court team has received extensive training bringing with them the right experience and attitude to safeguard your interests.

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I would 100% recommend this practice. Andrew was fantastic, very efficient, full of good advice and fully represented my interests. Whenever I contacted the office the staff were very accommodating and professional. I will soon be going back to have a new will made and consider them now to be “my” solicitors. I am also grateful to the estate agent that pointed me in this direction.

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A big thank you to Richard and the team at Watson Woodhouse. Your professionalism, knowledge and positive attitude made all the difference and ensured my house sale completed. You guided me through some complex issues and your advice was always first class

Watson Woodhouse looked after the sale of one house and the purchase of another. It was an excellent service. Alisha Stevenson made what is normally a stressful situation bearable with her professionalism. She is easy to talk to, She made herself available when she could and always returned a call when she couldn’t. Good value for money.

We used Watson Woodhouse for the sale of our home and purchase of our new bungalow. We would like to thank Katie Gibson, Jackie Howard and Livvie-Mae Pruden for all their help and support during this long process which was delayed by an issue with our vendor’s solicitors. The ladies acted with patience and kindness and were totally professional at all times. Thank you all so much.

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