Lesson Plan

• Describe the hierarchy of courts in England and Wales and the jurisdiction of each level.
• Explain the roles of key participants in criminal and civil proceedings.
• Outline the main stages of criminal and civil processes, highlighting decision points.
• Analyse how major statutes (e.g., Criminal Justice Act 2003, CPR, Human Rights Act) shape the machinery of justice.
• Evaluate the benefits and limitations of alternative dispute resolution within the legal system.

• Projector and screen
• PowerPoint slides covering court hierarchy and participants
• Handouts: court hierarchy chart and case‑study worksheets
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed flowchart of the criminal justice process
• Access to an online legal database (e.g., Westlaw or LexisNexis) for quick reference

Begin with a short video clip of a courtroom scene to capture interest. Ask students what institutions they think are involved in delivering justice and link this to prior lessons on sources of law. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to identify the full “machinery” that moves a case from investigation to resolution.

1. Do‑now (5') – Quick quiz on court names and their basic functions from the previous lesson.
2. Mini‑lecture (15') – Present the court hierarchy and key participants using PowerPoint.
3. Group matching activity (20') – In small groups, match participants to their specific roles using the handout chart.
4. Process‑mapping task (20') – Pairs create a flowchart of the criminal justice process on the provided worksheet; teacher circulates for feedback.
5. Case‑study analysis (15') – Apply knowledge to a mock criminal case, deciding the appropriate court and identifying involved actors.
6. Whole‑class debrief (10') – Discuss answers, clarify the impact of major legislation, and introduce ADR concepts.
7. Exit ticket (5') – Write one advantage of ADR for the legal system.

Summarise the court hierarchy, participant roles, and the stages of both criminal and civil processes. Collect exit tickets and highlight a strong response as a model. For homework, students will read a short summary of the Human Rights Act and write a 150‑word paragraph on how it influences court decisions.