ROYAL COURT OF JERSEY

RC 21/02

New Plea and Directions Hearing Form in Criminal Cases

In all criminal cases where a defendant pleads not guilty in the Royal Court, the case is listed for a plea and directions hearing before the trial judge. 

Prior to that hearing, a plea and directions hearing form is completed by counsel. 

A new plea and directions hearing form which substitutes the existing form is attached hereto.  It is to be used in all plea and directions hearings from now on. 

The plea and directions hearing form should be completed electronically by counsel and filed with the Court bearing the file reference no less than two working days prior to the hearing.  In the near future, all such hearings will be the subject of electronic bundles filed in accordance with the recent Practice Direction RC21/01. 

The electronic (and in the interim paper) bundles must consist of: 

1)    The plea and directions hearing form;

2)    The prosecution summary;

3)    The defence case statement;

4)    The defendant’s antecedents; and

5)    Any other material that the judge should consider at the directions hearing, e.g. applications for special measures.  

It is essential that counsel update and file the plea and directions hearing form after the hearing by 5pm on the day of the hearing in order to incorporate any amendments to the same necessitated by rulings given by the judge at the hearing.  The updated form should be filed with the Greffier present at the hearing and with JGRCourtdocuments@gov.je

Judge's questionnaire (PDF size 251kb)

Judge's questionnaire (.doc size 21.8kb)