For criminal-law interview questions, accuracy matters, but so does method. Start with the elements that are genuinely in dispute and resist turning the answer into a lecture.
Core areas worth revising
- Homicide and partial defences.
- Non-fatal offences against the person.
- Theft, robbery, burglary and fraud.
- Secondary liability and inchoate offences.
- Self-defence, duress and intoxication.
- Hearsay, bad character and confessions.
- Identification evidence and disclosure.
- Bail, plea, allocation, trial and sentencing procedure.
Problem question 1: robbery
Facts: D snatches a phone from V's hand. V resists and D pushes V to the ground before running away with it.
Interview task: Identify the issues relevant to robbery and explain what factual questions you would want answered before reaching a firm conclusion.
Problem question 2: self-defence
Facts: During an argument, D believes V is about to strike him. D punches first, causing serious injury. A witness says V had merely raised his hands.
Interview task: Separate the question of D's belief from the question of the force used. Explain how you would analyse each.
Problem question 3: hearsay
Facts: A key witness refuses to attend trial. The prosecution seeks to rely on her earlier statement.
Interview task: Do not jump immediately to admissibility. Identify the statutory route relied upon, its requirements, fairness considerations and any safeguards.
What to do when you cannot remember a case name
Do not fabricate authority. State the principle you believe applies, qualify uncertainty precisely, apply the principle and explain what source you would verify. Calm intellectual honesty is considerably better than a confident invented citation.
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