“A raft of new measures to transform the justice system were set out today [9 May] as part of the Queen’s Speech at the annual state opening of Parliament.”
Ministry of Justice, 9th May 2012
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“The civil and family court system is facing the prospect of chaos as the government prepares to cut face-to-face counter services and problems persist at the Salford civil claims centre, lawyers have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 10th May 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Following the final report of the Family Justice Review, the Lord Chief Justice and the President of the Family Division have appointed Mr Justice Ryder as Judge in Charge of the Modernisation of Family Justice. Ryder J’s appointment is until July 2012, and he is clear that it is important to ensure interested parties are aware of his work as it develops. He will publish information during this period and you will find the fourth update here.”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 10th April 2012
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
“The justice secretary, Ken Clarke, has defended proposals to create a new generation of secret courts in the face of criticism from Nick Clegg and parliament’s human rights committee, saying the plans will make the system more accountable and more conducive to intelligence sharing with other countries.”
The Guardian, 4th April 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Government proposals to extend the use of secret hearings in cases where evidence might compromise national security are a radical departure from the UK’s ‘traditions of open justice and fairness’, MPs and peers said today.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 4th April 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has now responded to the Government’s consultation on the proposals set out in their Justice and Security Green Paper Cm 8194. The idea is to extend ‘closed material procedures’ so as to be available in all civil proceedings, i.e. not just in some highly restricted national security contexts such as deportation appeals before SIAC (the Special Immigration Appeals Commission), control orders, and their successor regime known as TPIMs.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 4th April 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
“Parliament’s joint committee on human rights (JCHR) has produced a unanimous report on the government’s justice and security green paper that is as precise and persuasive as the green paper itself is unfocussed and unconvincing.”
The Guardian, 4th April 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Reforming The Civil Justice System – The Role of IT (PDF)
Speech by by Lord Justice Jackson
Society for Computers and Law, 26th March 2012
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
“Victims of human rights abuses and environmental crimes in developing countries must have access to justice.”
The Guardian, 26th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The Family Justice Modernisation Programme: Third update, From Mr Justice Ryder, Judge in Charge of the Modernisation of Family Justice.”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 7th March 2012
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
“The justice secretary, Ken Clarke, has admitted to being ‘unsettled’ by criticism from lawyers about his plans for extending secret courts.”
The Guardian, 6th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Extending secret hearings into civil courts will undermine effective scrutiny of government operations in the ‘war on terror’, according to prominent civil liberties activists and lawyers.”
The Guardian, 6th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Introducing secret hearings into civil courts could backfire, leading to more claimants accessing sensitive information, according to the government’s own impact assessment of its justice and security green paper. Expanding the use of so-called ‘closed material proceedings’ (CMPs) may also result in jurors finding the vetting procedure intrusive, and in ‘resentment of the judicial process and unwillingness to participate in jury service’, the Ministry of Justice’s study warns.”
The Guardian, 4th March 2012
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“The Crown Prosecution Service, the Met and the Home Office have all recently been forced to pay out compensation to children. In one case, a teenage witness was put at risk; in the other 40 asylum seekers were locked up in adult units. All three organisations have sought to reassure the public that policy and procedures have changed as a result. But what would have happened to these cases had the legal aid bill (Laspo), now approaching report stage in the Lords, already become law?”
The Guardian, 27th February 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“‘The single biggest attack on access to justice since the legal aid system was introduced’. That’s the view of the Law Society on the government’s controversial proposals to reform the civil justice system in England and Wales. But the government argue that the legal aid system has become unaffordable and along with no win no fee has helped create a litigious society. They say the current system is a boon for lawyers, while draining resources from organisations like the NHS and leaving many small businesses in fear of legal action. The Government are planning to scrap legal aid in some areas and make fundamental changes to no-win no fee. The aim is to bring down costs and encourage alternatives to going to court. But the bill to introduce these changes has been having a rocky ride in Parliament and there is widespread opposition to the reforms. Advice centres, lawyers and even some from the government’s own benches say the changes will deny justice for vulnerable people, and will ultimately end up costing the government more money. In the first programme of a new series of Law in Action, Joshua Rozenberg examines the arguments and the likely impact of the contentious changes.”
BBC Law in Action, 21st February 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The UK’s reputation as a ‘free and fair democracy’ could be damaged by excessive use of secret court procedures that the government aims to introduce, Northamptonshire police has warned.”
The Guardian, 16th February 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The government has come under fire from all sides of the civil litigation spectrum over its plans to reform the county court system.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 13th February 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Individuals and businesses will find it cheaper, quicker and less daunting to resolve their disputes in civil courts, through new measures announced today.”
Ministry of Justice, 9th February 2012
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Proposed changes to ‘no win, no fee’ agreements will not be introduced until April 2013 at the earliest, the Government has said. The changes will prevent losing parties having to pay certain elements of an injured party’s successful damages claim.”
OUT-LAW.com, 1st February 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
“A child learns early that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it. Thankfully that principle does not apply to Government consultations and this is aptly demonstrated by the responses to the consultation into whether ‘closed material’ (secret evidence) procedures should be extended to civil trials.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 31st January 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
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