summary trial
summary trial
in criminal procedure, a trial without a jury decided upon both on the facts and the law by a judge who may be legally qualified or may be a magistrate (who has legal advice if required).Maximum sentences are usually lower than in cases prosecuted on indictment. A summary trial, depending on the jurisdiction, usually involves a swifter procedure and a lessening of the procedural requirements associated with serious cases. Thus, it is unlikely that the requirements of notice and lodging of documents will be so strict and the presence of shorthand writers is unlikely to be a requirement or indeed an option. In England an offence that may be charged whether on indictment or in a summary court.