Order in the court!

Take a wrong turn in Northumbria’s Business and Law building and you could find yourself in the dock. At the heart of the third floor of this ultra-modern building is an unexpected nod to tradition in the shape of an authentic courtroom.

Designed specifically to accommodate the fixtures and fittings from a former Northumberland Magistrates Court, this room is a faithful recreation of a real life courtroom, where student barristers and solicitors can prepare for their careers beyond the classroom.

No detail has been overlooked in creating this authentic space. From the historic Royal Coat of Arms on the wall to the subtle, modern technology based on systems used in Newcastle’s Crown Court, students are invited to defend and prosecute simulated cases before both judge and jury.

Victoria Murray, Principal Lecturer in Law at Northumbria’s School of Law said: “It is symbolic that this room is in the centre of the building as it really emphasises law in practice as being at the heart of everything we do.

“Recreating the environment of a courtroom really benefits our students. It helps prepare them for what they can expect when they step into a courtroom for the first time - from the general layout through to where they can sit. It really brings to life what we do in the Law School.”

Students studying the undergraduate M Law Exempting and the M Law Incorporating Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), as well as those taking the freestanding post graduate BPTC, use the courtroom as part of their taught lessons, assessments and extra-curricular activities.

The room is also used by the Mock Trial Society and has been used by police officers from Northumbria Police force.

Students wear wigs and gowns and assume the roles of judge, clerk, counsel for the defence and prosecution, witnesses and even the jury. A large screen hangs on the wall, allowing students to examine witnesses away from the courtroom via video link–normally used if a witness is a child or already held in custody for an earlier crime.

Victoria added: “Students are free to come in and out of the courtroom as and when they like – it is an open facility that is only closed off when it is being used for teaching and assessments.

“It is always a highlight on Open Days when we show it off to prospective students during our campus tours. We’ve even had parents say they wish they were coming to Northumbria to study, once they have seen the courtroom! It really is a special facility that helps prepare the next generation of solicitors and barristers for lifelong fulfilling careers.”

The courtroom will be open for tours during Northumbria University’s Open Days this autumn.

DIsCOVeR MORe

To find out more about Northumbria’s law programmes, please visit: http://www.northumbrialawschool.co.uk