OCR A LEVEL LAW H418/001 THE LEGAL
SYSTEM AND THE CRIMINAL LAW ACTUAL
2026 PAPER MERGED WITH MARK SCHEME
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, 1
OCR A level law H418/001 the
legal system and the criminal
law actual 2026 paper
merged with mark scheme
INSTRUCTIONS
*1884119366*
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question
numbers must be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer five questions in total:
Answer one question from Questions 1 and 2 and one question from
Questions 3 and 4 in Section A.
Choose one Part in Section B. Answer the three questions for that part.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an
asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
OCR is an exempt Charity
Turn over
SECTION A
The legal system
Answer Question 1 or Question 2. Then answer Question 3 or Question 4.
Answer Question 1 or Question 2.
1 Describe the different sources of funding for civil cases. [8
]
[8
2 Explain the community sentences available to an adult offender. ]
Answer Question 3 or Question 4.
[12
3 Discuss the disadvantages of the judiciary.
]
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25
, 2
[12
4 Discuss the benefits of using the civil courts to solve a dispute. ]
© OCR 2026 H418/01 Jun26
, 3
SECTION B
Criminal law
Choose Part 1 or Part 2.
Part 1
Answer the three questions.
The first two questions are about the scenarios. The scenarios are not related.
Heidi and Casey have been married for ten years when Heidi tells Casey she is
divorcing him and going to live with another man. Casey is very upset and
decides to get his revenge on Heidi. He goes to a hardware shop planning to
buy some acid to throw at Heidi. While standing at the checkout with the acid,
he notices a CCTV camera and realises he is being filmed. He leaves quickly
without buying the acid. He asks his friend, Felix, a chemistry teacher, to get
some acid for him. Casey tells him he needs it to unblock a drain. Felix can see
that Casey is very upset and he is suspicious about why he wants the acid. He
gives Casey a bottle of harmless liquid instead. Casey goes to Heidi’s work and
when she exits the building, he throws the contents of the bottle over her. Heidi
is unharmed.
Beth is over eight months pregnant and is due to give birth in two weeks’ time.
Her sister, Jane, is very jealous of Beth because of the attention she is getting
from their family. One day, Jane is helping Beth to look for a new flat. When
they are both standing on the staircase, Jane pushes Beth from behind. Beth
falls to the bottom of the stairs and is seriously injured. She is taken to hospital.
While in surgery, Beth gives birth prematurely to a baby boy. The surgeons are
unable to save Beth, and she dies during the operation due to her injuries. The
baby is breathing independently but is in a critical condition. He is quickly
taken to another operating theatre on a trolley by a hospital porter. However,
the porter is going so fast that the trolley crashes into a patient. The baby falls
to the floor and dies instantly.
5 Advise whether Casey is criminally liable for any attempted crimes.
Do not discuss the specific crimes.
6 Advise whether Jane has the required actus reus for the murder of Beth and
of the baby.
Do not discuss the mens rea of murder.
Essay question on criminal law
7* ‘The current law relating to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, charged
under s47 Offences
Against the Person Act 1861 is easily criticised and needs to be reformed
urgently.’
Discuss the extent to which this statement is accurate.
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25
SYSTEM AND THE CRIMINAL LAW ACTUAL
2026 PAPER MERGED WITH MARK SCHEME
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, 1
OCR A level law H418/001 the
legal system and the criminal
law actual 2026 paper
merged with mark scheme
INSTRUCTIONS
*1884119366*
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question
numbers must be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer five questions in total:
Answer one question from Questions 1 and 2 and one question from
Questions 3 and 4 in Section A.
Choose one Part in Section B. Answer the three questions for that part.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an
asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
OCR is an exempt Charity
Turn over
SECTION A
The legal system
Answer Question 1 or Question 2. Then answer Question 3 or Question 4.
Answer Question 1 or Question 2.
1 Describe the different sources of funding for civil cases. [8
]
[8
2 Explain the community sentences available to an adult offender. ]
Answer Question 3 or Question 4.
[12
3 Discuss the disadvantages of the judiciary.
]
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25
, 2
[12
4 Discuss the benefits of using the civil courts to solve a dispute. ]
© OCR 2026 H418/01 Jun26
, 3
SECTION B
Criminal law
Choose Part 1 or Part 2.
Part 1
Answer the three questions.
The first two questions are about the scenarios. The scenarios are not related.
Heidi and Casey have been married for ten years when Heidi tells Casey she is
divorcing him and going to live with another man. Casey is very upset and
decides to get his revenge on Heidi. He goes to a hardware shop planning to
buy some acid to throw at Heidi. While standing at the checkout with the acid,
he notices a CCTV camera and realises he is being filmed. He leaves quickly
without buying the acid. He asks his friend, Felix, a chemistry teacher, to get
some acid for him. Casey tells him he needs it to unblock a drain. Felix can see
that Casey is very upset and he is suspicious about why he wants the acid. He
gives Casey a bottle of harmless liquid instead. Casey goes to Heidi’s work and
when she exits the building, he throws the contents of the bottle over her. Heidi
is unharmed.
Beth is over eight months pregnant and is due to give birth in two weeks’ time.
Her sister, Jane, is very jealous of Beth because of the attention she is getting
from their family. One day, Jane is helping Beth to look for a new flat. When
they are both standing on the staircase, Jane pushes Beth from behind. Beth
falls to the bottom of the stairs and is seriously injured. She is taken to hospital.
While in surgery, Beth gives birth prematurely to a baby boy. The surgeons are
unable to save Beth, and she dies during the operation due to her injuries. The
baby is breathing independently but is in a critical condition. He is quickly
taken to another operating theatre on a trolley by a hospital porter. However,
the porter is going so fast that the trolley crashes into a patient. The baby falls
to the floor and dies instantly.
5 Advise whether Casey is criminally liable for any attempted crimes.
Do not discuss the specific crimes.
6 Advise whether Jane has the required actus reus for the murder of Beth and
of the baby.
Do not discuss the mens rea of murder.
Essay question on criminal law
7* ‘The current law relating to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, charged
under s47 Offences
Against the Person Act 1861 is easily criticised and needs to be reformed
urgently.’
Discuss the extent to which this statement is accurate.
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25
