Drafting criminal indictments

Coursework Information Sheet

Feedback details

The university policy is that you will receive feedback on your work within 15 working days of the submission date.  Exceptionally, where this is not achievable (for example due to staff sickness), you will be notified as soon as possible of the revised date and the reasons behind the change.

Coursework 2

1. Michael Masters is seen on 14^th December 2017 trying to take something from Mary Martins handbag. When interviewed by the police, he tell them that he wanted to take hold of her wallet, but withdrew his hand when he saw he was being watched.

      Draft an indictment containing 1 count for trial at Luton Crown Court.

2. Noreen Naylor is lawfully searched by the police on 15^th December 2017. The police found in her jeans pocket 18.6 grams of cocaine contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

      Draft an indictment containing 1 count for trial at Luton Crown Court.

1. Robert Rawlins, 21, is arrested as he runs from the scene of a house. On him he has a set of skeleton keys which police say were used to affect entry to the house in question. The residents were out at the time. Mr Rawlins has already been charged with robbery as result of a street mugging which took place 2 months previously.

      Advise on Robert Rawlins prospects for any bail application.

Students are asked:

• To draft 2 separate Indictments.
• To advise on the possibility of bail for Mr Rawlins.
• This assessment will count towards 70 per cent of your final grade.

INSTRUCTIONS

• The word count is a total of 2000 words long excluding footnotes and bibliography, with 10% leeway. Work should comply with OSCOLA and plagiarism rules where appropriate.
• All work MUST be submitted via BREO. No other method of submission is accepted.
• Failure to submit work on time will result in a 0/G grade.
• Tutors cannot accept email submission of assessments. If you encounter problems with the online submission system, you should immediately contact ICT and the Mitigation Team to notify them of the issue.
• Please use your STUDENT NUMBER as the title of your file and save it as a Word or pdf document. Make sure you close your document before uploading it.
• If you are unsure how to submit your work correctly, please check the EMA short guide available in the Assessment and Feedback Tab on BREO.
• The teaching team operates a zero-tolerance policy with regard to plagiarism and other academic misconduct. All coursework is checked for originality through Turnitin. The teaching team reserves the right to call all students for a viva voce examination on their work where doubts arise as to compliance with the University’s regulations on academic integrity.

Threshold standards

In order to pass the assessment, you will need to:

Guidance on preparing your coursework:

When writing your coursework, you should keep in mind that the examiners will assess it on the basis of the following criteria:

• Content: This will consider how well you construct an argument. Remember that a coursework assignment should have an introduction, a middle and a conclusion. Create a context for your work and focus on telling a story. Re-read your work to make sure it flows, and try to link your points to create a strong narrative. An outline plan of the points you are going to make, drafted before you start writing, can help with this.

Remember that the assessment is testing your ability to convey your understanding of a complex legal issue, therefore you should attempt as far as possible to explain the issues in your own words. Essays compiled from a series of quotes taken from a range of textbooks will not receive high marks. Quotes can be useful, but use them sparingly for maximum impact.

• Research/ referencing this will principally be reflected in your bibliography, but a long list of texts will not be sufficient. The main way in which the breadth of your research will be demonstrated will be in the depth of your discussions. Use your research as a tool to build up an in-depth understanding of the topic which is under consideration. Don’t forget the importance of referencing your work correctly. Marks will be lost for failure to adequately reference your work and MAY lead to accusations of academic misconduct. If in doubt, ask your Unit Co-ordinator.
• Analysis/Application In an essay question this heading crosses over with content, butyou must think about how you are using the knowledge you have acquired to answer the question posed. This heading will also include consideration of the quality of your analysis of the legal issues and the strength of the arguments/ points you are making. Try to direct your discussions towards the question asked instead of engaging in a general discussion of the law.
• Presentation Do not underestimate the importance of presentation. This includes spelling and grammar. Of equal importance is the correct use of abbreviations, presentation of case names and statutes and use of fonts. Law is about precision and detail, so a lack of care over presentation of your work does not allow you to demonstrate your skills.

Marking criteria:

≥ 70%           Detailed and accurate identification of the legal issues and application of the law to the facts, evidence of reading cases and academic commentary where relevant; excellent analysis and fully reasoned discussion of the law and legal issues such as the coherence of the law and any proposed legal reform; excellent written and presentational style including appropriate referencing.

60 – 69%      Detailed and accurate identification of the legal issues and application of the law to the facts, evidence of reading cases and academic commentary where relevant; reasoned analysis and discussion of the law and legal issues such as the coherence of the law and any proposed legal reform; good written and presentational style including appropriate referencing.

50 – 59%      Identification of most legal issues; accurate application of the law to the facts, evidence of reading cases, good written and presentational style; adequate referencing. Limitations at this level may result from limited analysis or discussion of legal issues such as the coherence of the law and any proposed legal reform; lack (or limited evidence) of engagement with relevant academic commentary.

40 – 49%      Basic identification of most legal issues; generally accurate application of the law to the facts, although some issues may be omitted; limitations at this level may be a lack of analysis or discussion of legal issues such as the coherence of the law and any proposed legal reform; no evidence of reading relevant academic commentary; weak written and presentational style; poor referencing.

≤ 39%           Incorrect identification of legal issues; failure to apply law to the facts or incorrect application of the law to the facts; lack of analysis or discussion of the relevant law or legal issues such as the coherence of the law and any proposed legal reform; no evidence of reading relevant academic commentary; poor written and presentational style; poor referencing.

Last Updated on January 19, 2018