This chapter looks at the following issues:

• What are laws?
• Where does the South African legal system come from?
• How are laws made?
• What are the main differences between civil and criminal law – and where do commissions of inquiry fit?

[download Chapter 1 (1 mb).]

This chapter lists the different types of courts and tribunals in South Africa, and sets out:

• Who staffs and presides over them;
• What the jurisdiction of each is; and
• How these different courts relate to one another.

[download Chapter 2 (1 mb).]

This chapter:

• Names the principal role-players in the court system;
• Explains how they are appointed or selected; and
• Explains what their roles are.

[download Chapter 3 (1 mb).]

This chapter explains:

• The process followed to report, investigate and charge someone for a crime;
• The rules governing police conduct during this process;
• The definitions of some common crimes;
• What happens in court;
• The rights and restrictions on media coverage of investigations and court proceedings.

[download Chapter 4 (1 mb).]

This chapter describes:

• The procedure of the civil court;
• The special procedures relating to divorce cases;
• How civil procedure differs from criminal procedure; and
• The specialised terminology used in civil cases

[download Chapter 5 (1 mb).]

In recent years, commissions of inquiry have played a major role in South Africa’s legal landscape – often in contexts that have had important political and news implications. But journalists still express uncertainty about the role they play, the rules they follow, and the way they should be reported. This chapter explains:

• The difference between a commission and a court of law;
• The nature and purpose of commissions of inquiry; and
• The statutory framework of commissions.

[download Chapter 6 (1 mb).]

This chapter describes:

• The principles that underlie sentencing;
• The various criminal punishments and civil penalties;
• The structure of the prison system; and
• The rules governing the treatment of prisoners.

[download Chapter 7 (1 mb).]

This chapter explains:

• The difference between an appeal and a review;
• The possible grounds for each; and
• The court process for appeals and reviews.

[download Chapter 8 (1 mb).]

This chapter looks at high-profile court cases around crimes of public concern that are currently occupying the media in the early 2020s, and at what you need to know to report on these effectively. The chapter explains:

• Gender-based violence;
• Corruption;
• Migration and citizenship;
• Land and housing rights; and
• Hate speech and crimen iniuria.

[download Chapter 9 (1 mb).]

This chapter summarises:

• How reporters must act in court;
• What documents and information they are permitted to see and report on, and at what stage in legal proceedings;
• The new situation regarding broadcasting and blogging from and about court;
• How to deal with intimidation and harassment;
• The current relationship with the SAPS in terms of access to information and attendance at crime scenes.

[download Chapter 10 (1 mb).]

This chapter deals with:

• Developing a good process for producing an accurate, accessible court story on any platform;
• The implications of the defamation law when reporting court stories;
• The key points of court reporting terminology; and
• The place of ethics in creating and publishing court stories.

[download Chapter 11 (1 mb).]

This chapter provides resources and links on a range of topics relating to court-reporting in South Africa, and a glossary of legal terms that journalists are likely to come across while working on court stories.

[download Chapter 12 (2 mb).]