Watching Law & Order, you see how prosecution works, at least on a surface level, but how is it different in the U.K.? Or is it more or less the same?

  • AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space
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    18 hours ago

    In the UK, magistrates, who try cases at lower courts, aren’t trained lawyers but civilian volunteers, who have trained lawyers as advisors on the technical aspects. Not sure if this is the case in the US.

    • disregardable@lemmy.zip
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      18 hours ago

      That is more “something that happens” in rural areas than intentional by design. In a lot of the US, judges are elected positions. In the majority of states, non-lawyers are allowed to run, but in competitive districts it’d be difficult to win without the bar association’s recommendation.

      • dbx12@programming.dev
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        9 hours ago

        Wait what? US judges are elected without the law setting any requirements? So goat farmer John can run for county judge despite not having any legal education?

        • disregardable@lemmy.zip
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          4 hours ago

          Not just judges! Also the coroner! Think about what kind of nasty shit goes down when the government lies about when someone dies. Many small towns across the US had that issue in the 1900s, so a lot of states replaced the position with a medical examiner (requires an actual medical degree to be licensed).