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CLPFLK2 · 17 topics

SQE1 Criminal Law and Practice.

Criminal offences, defences, and procedure.

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All 17 topics in Criminal Law and Practice

SRA-aligned
  1. 01

    Advising at the Police Station: Rights and Detention

    Rights of a suspect detained by police, detention time limits, and advising vulnerable clients

    Free
  2. 02

    Identification Procedures

    PACE Code D identification procedures and when they must be held

  3. 03

    Advising on Police Questions and Interviews

    Right to silence, adverse inferences, interview procedure, appropriate adults, and vulnerable clients

  4. 04

    Bail Applications

    Right to bail, exceptions to bail, conditional and unconditional bail, police and court bail, further applications and appeals

  5. 05

    First Hearings and Representation

    Classification of offences, representation orders, procedural overview of first hearings, and the defence solicitor's role

  6. 06

    Plea Before Venue and Allocation

    Plea before venue procedure, advising on trial venue, mode of trial, and sending without allocation

  7. 07

    Case Management and Disclosure

    Case management directions, prosecution and defence disclosure under CPIA, PII, and third-party disclosure

  8. 08

    Burden and Standard of Proof

    The golden thread of criminal law, legal and evidential burdens, statutory reversals, and Article 6(2) ECHR

  9. 09

    Identification Evidence and Inferences from Silence

    Turnbull guidance on identification evidence, ss.34-38 CJPOA 1994 on inferences from silence, and advising clients

  10. 10

    Hearsay Evidence

    Definition of hearsay, common law exceptions, and CJA 2003 statutory provisions

  11. 11

    Confession Evidence

    Definition, admissibility, and exclusion of confession evidence under PACE 1984

  12. 12

    Character Evidence

    Bad character evidence, the 7 gateways for admission, and exclusion under CJA 2003

  13. 13

    Exclusion of Evidence

    s.78 PACE 1984, Article 6 ECHR, abuse of process, and the right to a fair trial

  14. 14

    Trial Procedure

    Stages of a criminal trial, courtroom etiquette, evidence rules, competence, compellability, and special measures

  15. 15

    Sentencing

    Sentencing guidelines, determining seriousness, types of sentences, and Newton hearings

  16. 16

    Appeals

    Appeals from magistrates' court and Crown Court, case stated, judicial review, Court of Appeal powers, Attorney General's reference, and the CCRC

  17. 17

    Youth Court and Welsh Language

    Youth court jurisdiction, sentencing children and young people, referral orders, youth rehabilitation orders, detention and training orders, and Welsh language rights in criminal proceedings

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4 sample CLP questions

Real SBA questions from the Criminal Law and Practice bank, with the full explanation. The paid bank covers all 17 topics and difficulty levels.

Under PACE s.6, which of the following statements correctly describes a suspect's right to legal advice at a police station?

  1. A person held for questioning at a police station may consult a solicitor at any time, unless they have been notified that they are to be charged. Correct
  2. A person held for questioning may only consult a solicitor after the first 6 hours of detention.
  3. A person held for questioning may consult a solicitor only if they can afford to pay for one.
  4. A person held for questioning may consult a solicitor at any time, including after they have been charged.
  5. A person held for questioning may only consult a solicitor with the permission of the custody officer.
Why: The correct answer is A. Under PACE s.6, a person held for questioning at a police station may consult a solicitor at any time, unless the person has been notified by a constable that they are to be charged. The right is fundamental and applies from the moment of arrest. B is incorrect because there is no 6-hour waiting period; the right applies from the moment of arrival at the station. C is incorrect because legal advice at the police station is free under the Duty Solicitor Scheme regardless of means. D is incorrect because the right to consult a solicitor ceases once the person has been notified they are to be charged. E is incorrect because the custody officer cannot withhold the right to legal advice; it is an automatic entitlement.

What is the maximum period for which a person may be held in police detention without being charged, before any extensions are sought?

  1. 12 hours from the time of arrest.
  2. 36 hours from the time of arrival at the police station.
  3. 24 hours from the relevant time (arrival at the police station). Correct
  4. 48 hours from the time of arrest.
  5. 6 hours from the time of arrival at the police station.
Why: The correct answer is C. Under PACE s.41, a person shall not be kept in police detention for more than 24 hours without being charged. The 24-hour period runs from the "relevant time", which is when the person arrives at the police station after being arrested, not from the time of arrest in the street. A is incorrect because the initial limit is 24 hours, not 12 hours. B is incorrect because 36 hours requires a superintendent's extension; the initial limit without extension is 24 hours. D is incorrect because the clock starts from arrival at the station, not the time of arrest. E is incorrect because 6 hours is the timing for the first detention review, not the maximum detention period.

A solicitor arrives at a police station to advise a client who was arrested three hours ago. Which of the following statements best describes what the solicitor should do first upon arrival?

  1. The solicitor should immediately request to interview the client to take instructions.
  2. The solicitor should ask the custody officer whether the client has been formally charged.
  3. The solicitor should ask to see the custody record to check the client's rights have been properly respected. Correct
  4. The solicitor should ask to see the police interview notes to understand the allegations.
  5. The solicitor should wait in the consultation room until the police are ready to begin the interview.
Why: The correct answer is C. The solicitor should always ask to see the custody record first. The custody record will show whether the client's rights have been properly respected, whether reviews have been carried out on time, whether legal advice was requested and whether it was delayed, and whether there have been any irregularities. Discrepancies in the custody record can be used to challenge the admissibility of evidence later. A is incorrect because the solicitor should first review the custody record before taking instructions, to understand the full picture of what has happened so far. B is incorrect because while checking the client's status is relevant, reviewing the custody record is the more comprehensive first step and will reveal this information. D is incorrect because interview notes may not yet exist if the client has not been interviewed, and the custody record takes priority. E is incorrect because the solicitor should be proactive in reviewing the custody record rather than passively waiting.

Under Code C, which of the following rights must be accorded to a person in police detention in relation to the Codes of Practice?

  1. The detainee must be given a written summary of the Codes of Practice within 2 hours of arrival.
  2. The detainee may only consult the Codes of Practice if they have a solicitor present.
  3. The detainee must be provided with a copy of the Codes of Practice to keep throughout their detention.
  4. The custody officer must read the Codes of Practice aloud to the detainee upon arrival.
  5. The detainee must be allowed to consult a copy of the Codes of Practice at any time during their detention. Correct
Why: The correct answer is E. Under Code C, para 8, a person in police detention must be allowed to consult a copy of the Codes of Practice at any time during their detention. The Codes must be readily available at the police station and the custody officer should draw the detainee's attention to the Codes at the outset of detention. A is incorrect because there is no requirement to provide a written summary; the detainee must be allowed to consult the actual Codes. B is incorrect because the right to consult the Codes does not depend on having a solicitor present. C is incorrect because the detainee must be allowed to consult the Codes, not necessarily given a personal copy to keep. D is incorrect because there is no requirement for the custody officer to read the Codes aloud; the detainee must be allowed to consult them.
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Common questions

Criminal Law and Practice FAQs

Criminal offences, defences, and procedure. The SRA assessment specification breaks Criminal Law and Practice into 17 topics, each examined through single-best-answer (SBA) questions in the FLK2 paper.
Criminal Law and Practice sits in FLK2. Both FLK2 papers are 180 single-best-answer questions in two 2h 5m sittings on the same day.
17. Our notes, flashcards, and question bank are mapped one-to-one against the SRA's CLP specification so nothing is missed.
Most candidates allocate roughly 51–85 hours across notes, flashcards, and timed practice. The exact split depends on your background — re-sitters can usually focus on weak topics rather than re-reading.
Active recall beats re-reading. Read the notes once, then practise SBA questions in mixed order, then revisit weak topics. Our weak-area tracker surfaces the topics where your accuracy is below 70%.
Yes. The free readiness quiz includes a sample from every subject, and free accounts can access sample questions across all subjects. The full CLP question bank is unlocked with any paid plan (1, 6, or 12 months) and is covered by the 14-day money-back guarantee.
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