This work serves as a comprehensive legal reference designed to provide practitioners and students with an authoritative analysis of criminal law, procedure, and evidence within the English legal system. Professor David Ormerod, a distinguished scholar in criminal justice, compiles extensive statutory materials, case law, and procedural rules to create a functional framework for legal professionals. The text functions as an essential resource for navigating the complexities of criminal litigation, offering both procedural guidance and substantive legal interpretation.

Legal professionals and academics frequently cite this text as a foundational reference for criminal practice in England and Wales. Experts highlight the density of the information and the rigorous attention to procedural detail as the primary reasons for its continued use in courtrooms and law libraries.