Law & Order: UK

Adapting this American series for the UK meant several problems as the legal systems of the US and the UK are very different in rules and procedures. Lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are not the same as District Attorneys in the US and do not have the same powers and procedures, nor are they subject to political influences as a DA who also has to face public election. The CPS does not engage in plea-bargaining (legally binding agreements for lesser charges, immunity, or sentences) with the defense in return for cooperation or a guilty plea, or an agreed minimum sentence, as these are strictly in the hands of the judge in the UK legal system. Although they can make recommendations to the judge, the judge does not have to follow them. Additionally, the CPS lawyers themselves do not personally prosecute the case in court (this is done by hired barristers), nor do they carry out their own further investigations into a case. The decision to prosecute or not is based solely on the evidence the police put forward and whether there is a reasonable likelihood of a conviction. In addition, Crown Prosecutors must then decide whether a prosecution is needed in the public interest.

The scene cards at the start of the trial sequences say "Crown v. xyz". In England prosecutions are in the name of the Queen and are annotated "R v XYZ"

Featured in This Morning: Episode dated 20 February 2009 (2009)