Question

Difficulty: MediumThe Judiciary and the Jury System

In the United Kingdom, the judiciary is independent of the government. What is the legal outcome if the government disagrees with a decision made by a judge in a specific court case?

  1. The government must accept the decision because it cannot interfere with or change a judge's ruling.Answer
  2. B
    The Prime Minister can issue an executive order to nullify the court's decision and order a new trial.
  3. C
    The Home Secretary has the authority to dismiss the judge and personally decide the outcome of the case.
  4. D
    The police can choose not to enforce the ruling if they believe it poses a risk to public order.

Answer

The government must accept the decision because it cannot interfere with or change a judge's ruling.
The principle of judicial independence means that judges are independent of the government and Parliament. As a result, the government cannot interfere with, change, or ignore a judge's decision in a court case, even if they disagree with the outcome. This ensures that the law is applied impartially.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the relationship between the judiciary and the government in the UK.
The judiciary is independent of the government and Parliament.
This separation ensures that the law is applied fairly without political pressure.
2
Determine the limits of government power regarding specific court decisions.
The government is legally bound by court decisions and has no power to change them.
Judicial independence means judges are not answerable to the government for the decisions they make.

Key Concept

Independence of the Judiciary
Estimated Time:45s
Rate this question