The Supreme Court hears the most serious criminal offences only examples of such cases are murder and serious breaches of the Drugs Misuse Act. A jury of twelve people examine the facts presented during the trial to return a unanimous verdict of guilty or not guilty. The onus of proof required in a Supreme Court trial is beyond a reasonable doubt. The onus of proof lies with the prosecution, not the defence.
The structural layout represents the seriousness of the crimes that are heard Supreme Court, the roles of law personnel, and the positions they hold.
The Supreme Court layout.
The judge is situated on the right hand side of the courtroom and is elevated over the courtroom to enable complete vision. This positioning shows the judges power over the court, the role the judge plays and the hierarchy of the legal system.
The judge's associate or clerk is situated on the right hand side of the room and is elevated over the court to a degree but not to the extent that the judge is. This positioning displays the judges" superiority over the associate but the degree of elevation displays that the associate is linked with the judge.
The shorthand reporters are situated on the right hand side of the room with the judge and their associate. Short hand reporters are elevated to the same level as the judges associate to enable optimum viewing to allow the proceeding to be recorded accurately.
The witness is situated in close vicinity to the judge's associate, short hand reporters and the jury. This positioning allows close examination by the court so the jury can return a unanimous verdict. The witness is located in the centre front of the courtroom.
The bailiff is found in the left hand corner of the courtroom. This position allows easy .
distribution of evidence as there is access to the centre of the courtroom.
The jury is situated on the left hand corner of the room. This allows the jury to have a close view of the witness, defence counsel, and the crown prosecutor.