The law is separated into two sections; civil law and criminal law.

The civil law handles the areas of law that does not involve crime.  Civil law places policies for different activities in our every day lives.  It outlines your rights about marriage and divorce, housing, and consumer rights etc.  On breaking a civil law somebody can be taken to court.

Criminal law, on the other hand, deals with crimes that have been committed, like burglary or murder.  Criminal law also outlines the punishment that can be given for a crime.  Somebody who has committed a crime will be taken to court (prosecution) where a jury or judge decides if the accused person is innocent or guilty.  If the person is found guilty then this is a conviction and the person will be called an ‘offender’.

The majority of criminal cases are heard by the Magistrates Courts and they consist of trained people who will hear the case and make a decision based on advice from a clerk.