There are two modes of Criminal trial in the English Legal System, namely, the Summary Trial, Trial on Indictment and Youth Court Trial. The classification of trials is based on the categories of Offences. Broadly, the Crimes are classified as indictable and summary offences for procedural processes. Summary offences are tried by courts having summary jurisdiction and the trial is conducted by magistrates without a jury. The Summary Offences include large volume of traffic offences and other trivial offences. All Summary Offences are defined in statutes. Indictable offences are the more serious crimes. Other than the presence of the jury, there is almost little or no difference between trial on indictment and summary trial. The distinction of offences as indictable and summary broadly reflects a distinction between serious and minor crimes. Very serious offences are triable only by indictment. Minor offences are tried only summararily. The class of offences of medium seriousness is called ‘triable either way’. By virtue of The Criminal Law Act, 1977, the Parliament of United Kingdom has reviewed the appropriate class for a particular offence to categorize certain offences as summary though they had been formerly triable either way. The Criminal Justice Act, 1988 has made common assault, battery and theft of vehicles the only summary offences. An offence triable either by indictment or summarily is known as an offence ‘triable either way’ and include offences listed in the Magistrates’ Courts Act, 1980 and offences made triable either way by virtue of any other enactment.
