Starting Proceedings, Representation and Court Routing: Introduction

An enacted reform does not change the answer until its commencement and any savings apply.

The first hearing connects the police investigation to a court case. Its purpose is not simply to choose a building. The court must know what has lawfully been alleged, whether the defendant can participate, what response the defendant gives, which court has jurisdiction, and what happens to the defendant and the case next. A forum is the court legally entitled to deal with a stage. A plea answers the allegation. A conviction establishes guilt. Sending normally moves an untried charge to the Crown Court; committal for sentence moves an already convicted offender there for punishment. Confusing those events produces the wrong procedure even when the eventual destination sounds plausible.

Use this journey throughout:

The low-value rules and related-charge routes explained below can displace the ordinary either-way branch. Bail is a separate decision: neither a guilty plea nor a Crown Court destination automatically decides it. The incoming police safeguards belong to Chapter 1 (Police-Station Rights, Detention and Lawful Interview); the full court-bail analysis follows in Chapter 4 (Bail, Remand and Custody Time Limits); preparation and disclosure follow in Chapter 5 (Case Management, PTPH, Indictment and Disclosure). General youth procedure and funding remain in Chapter 13 (Youth Court, Remand, Sentencing, Legal Aid and Welsh Language).