The Old Bailey: A Typical Trial Docket in an Atypical Setting

Earlier this week, the students and I spent the afternoon at Central Criminal Court in London, formerly called the Old Bailey and located at the intersection of Old Bailey and Newgate streets in the heart of London’s law district. I can guarantee that this post will not be as captivating as Rumpole of the Bailey, the British television series about fictional barrister Horace Rumpole. But, like most trips to court, it was certainly interesting. What’s similar? As in many districts in North Carolina, the historic courthouse is still standing, but most cases are handled in a modern annex next to the courthouse. It’s pretty easy to tell the old (at the front of the photo) from the new (toward the back): As in North Carolina, the UK also has two levels of court: Magistrates Court for less serious offenses and the Crown Court for more serious ones, which are handled at Central Criminal Court where we visited. On the day we went to Central Criminal Court, the students learned of another similarity between US and UK trials—they do not always run smoothly. They start, they stop, and they start again to accommodate the complicated demands of presenting witnesses and evidence, hearing argument, resolving legal questions, and other developments. If you're in London and interested in going, you can sit in the public gallery and watch the proceedings (as long as you don't bring your phone or other electronic devices, including a bluetooth fitness watch as this embarrassed instructor learned after warning [...]