What is regional magistrate court?

The Regional Magistrates’ Courts at present only deal with criminal cases whereas the district Magistrates’ Courts deal with criminal and civil cases. Magistrate’s Courts can be divided into either criminal courts or civil courts.

How many magistrates courts are there in South Africa?

1,914 magistrates
Divisions and districts As of 2010 there were 384 districts (and thus 384 district courts), 18 subdistricts with detached courts, 79 branch courts and 235 periodical courts. There were 1,914 magistrates including 351 regional court magistrates.

Which court will never be the court of first instance in South Africa?

The Supreme Court of Appeal
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) may decide on any appeal arising from a high court. As suggested by its name, this is an appeal court and not a court of first instance and it has jurisdiction over every appeal matter in South Africa.

Which court has jurisdiction over Sandton?

The Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law which has general jurisdiction over the South African province of Gauteng and the eastern part of North West province.

What sentence can magistrates give?

Magistrates have sentencing powers that allow them to impose a range of sentences, including unlimited fines, bans, community orders and up to 12 months’ custody, depending on the offence.

What are the 5 special courts in South Africa?

The courts include:

  • The Constitutional Court.
  • Supreme Court of Appeal.
  • High courts.
  • Circuit courts.
  • Special income tax courts.
  • Labour courts.
  • Land claims court.
  • Magistrate’s courts.

How long do High Court decisions take?

In general the time between filing the application and getting an initial decision on permission is about 3 to 5 months.

Can you go to jail from magistrates court?

If the case is to be dealt within a magistrates’ court, the defendant(s) are asked to enter a plea. If they plead guilty or are later found to be guilty, the magistrates can impose a sentence, generally of up to six months’ imprisonment for a single offence (12 months in total), or a fine of an unlimited amount.

What happens if you plead guilty in a magistrates court?

Pleading guilty If you plead guilty at the outset your case will not go to trial and you could be sentenced immediately in the magistrates’ court. For more serious offences you will have to go to the Crown Court to be sentenced. Find out more about sentencing hearings.