Category: courts

Why The Magistrates Courts Aren’t Working – Each Other

Posted May 23rd, 2023 in courts, criminal justice, diversity, magistrates, news by sally

‘In 2022, the Criminal Bar Association voted to undertake industrial action, bringing the dire state of much of the criminal justice system into the public eye. Following successive cuts by the government, among the issues were unusable court buildings, including broken toilets, leaking ceilings and malfunctioning heating systems, and the dismal remuneration received by barristers – barristers who are tasked with working on the most serious cases across the Crown Courts.’

Full Story

Each Other, 19th May 2023

Source: eachother.org.uk

Court photography ban under review in transparency drive – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 12th, 2023 in consultations, courts, Ministry of Justice, news, photography, video recordings by sally

‘A ban imposed nearly 100 years ago on photography in courts could be lifted under ideas being floated by the government to make the justice system more transparent.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th May 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court delays: Slow justice meant second woman attacked by violent man – BBC News

Posted April 20th, 2023 in courts, criminal justice, delay, domestic violence, news, victims by sally

‘A mother who was subjected to an attack by her violent ex-partner said charging and trial delays left him free to attack a second woman. Speaking to the BBC, Elizabeth Hudson said the backlog of crown court cases was causing misery and distress for many victims.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th April 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Call to name courts with biggest backlogs – Legal Futures

Posted March 28th, 2023 in courts, criminal justice, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, reports, statistics by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) must publish data on the backlogs of individual criminal courts, a group that campaigns to improve public data has said.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 28th March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court lifts automatic suspension in procurement dispute over provision of audio-visual equipment to courts and tribunals – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 14th, 2023 in competition, contracts, courts, limitations, news, public procurement, tenders by sally

‘The Secretary of State for Justice (SoSJ) has successfully applied to the High Court for the lifting of the automatic suspension in a procurement challenge to the outcome of a mini-competition for a call-off contract relating to the provision of digital and audiovisual (‘AV’) equipment for use by HM Courts and Tribunals Service.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th March 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Nightingale Courts to remain open to boost capacity and speed up justice – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 17th, 2023 in courts, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by sally

‘Nightingale Courts across England and Wales are being kept open for another year to reduce waiting times and deliver swift justice for victims.’

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Ministry of Justice, 17th February 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

A quarter of listed cases not published by National Archives – Legal Futures

Posted January 24th, 2023 in archives, courts, delay, internet, judgments, law reports, news, reports by sally

‘The National Archives (TNA), which took over as the immediate online publisher of senior court judgments last year, failed to publish judgments in over a quarter of cases in its first three months of operation, a report has found.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 24th January 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministry of Justice to launch call for evidence on open justice – Legal Futures

Posted January 17th, 2023 in courts, electronic filing, media, Ministry of Justice, news, remote hearings, tribunals by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is to launch a “wide-ranging” call for evidence on open justice, access to information and transparency across the courts and tribunals.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th January 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Members of the Traveller community visit the Old Bailey – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted January 9th, 2023 in courts, news, travellers by sally

‘At the end of November 2022, HHJ Dafna Spiro, a Diversity and Community Relations Judge (DCRJ), and HHJ Angela Rafferty KC hosted a group of young people from the Traveller community at the Old Bailey. Planning for the trip began back in May 2022, with HHJ Beccy Trowler KC and June Warwick also playing a key role. HHJ Spiro and HHJ Rafferty were joined by June, a barrister at Rose Court Chambers, herself from the Traveller community. Six young people joined the visit, accompanied by three adults from Friends, Families & Travellers (FFT), a charity that works to end racism and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people.’

Full Story

Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 5th January 2023

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Poor state of English and Welsh courts worsening backlog, says Law Society – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2022 in courts, delay, Law Society, news, solicitors by sally

‘Broken heating, sewage, mould, asbestos and leaking toilets and roofs are among the problems encountered by solicitors in courts in England and Wales, a survey by the Law Society has found.’

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The Guardian, 19th December 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Message from the Lord Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals – Modes of address in courts and tribunals – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted December 2nd, 2022 in courts, judges, judiciary, news by sally

‘We are today announcing a change in the practice of how certain Judges are addressed in court. From now on, the Judges listed below should be addressed in court or tribunal hearings as “Judge.”’

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 1st December 2022

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Travel and childcare costs ‘stopping domestic abuse victims getting to court’ – The Independent

Posted October 24th, 2022 in charities, children, coercive & controlling behaviour, courts, domestic violence, families, family courts, news, transport, victims by sally

‘The cost-of-living crisis is increasingly being used as justification for domestic abuse while some victims are unable to afford to get to court to obtain protection, a charity has warned.’

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The Independent, 24th October 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Construction begins on brand new flagship London court in the Square Mile – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 21st, 2022 in computer crime, courts, fraud, London, Ministry of Justice, money laundering, news by sally

‘The construction of a state-of-the-art combined court is underway in the heart of London’s legal centre as part of Salisbury Square, a new development on Fleet Street.’

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Ministry of Justice, 18th October 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Lord Hodge, Guildhall Lecture – Supreme Court

Posted October 7th, 2022 in arbitration, courts, government departments, judges, judiciary, legal history, legal profession, parliament, rule of law, speeches, Supreme Court by sally

‘Lord Hodge, Guildhall Lecture – The Rule of Law, the Courts and the British Economy.’

Full speech

Supreme Court, 4th October 2022

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

King’s Bench Division Guide 2022 – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted September 26th, 2022 in codes of practice, courts, judiciary, news by sally

‘The King’s Bench Division Guide 2022 has been published, replacing the Queen’s Bench Division 2022 version.’

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Judiciary of England and Wales, 15th September 2022

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Delays leave man facing four years in Leicester jail without trial – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2022 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, delay, drug offences, firearms, industrial action, miscarriage of justice, news by sally

‘A man has been told he will have to spend at least four years and three months in jail without trial as a result of Covid, barrister strikes and a malfunctioning courtroom.’

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The Guardian, 15th September 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Disability awareness “often the poor relation” at Bar and in courts – Legal Futures

Posted September 15th, 2022 in barristers, courts, disabled persons, news by sally

‘The courts and the Bar need to do more to be accessible to disabled people, with their approach to disability lagging behind how they treat other protected characteristics, it has been argued.’

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Legal Futures, 15th September 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Will Trial Rape Courts Address Low Conviction Rates? – Each Other

Posted August 16th, 2022 in courts, domestic violence, news, pilot schemes, prosecutions, rape, victims by sally

‘A year after the Government’s Rape Review, a pilot scheme was announced that would establish three specialist rape courts in England. But with concerns from the sector about access to justice, survivors’ welfare and funding: Will specialist rape courts address low conviction rates and support survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence?’

Full Story

Each Other, 12th August 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

An introduction to the Unified Patent Court (UPC) – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 2nd, 2022 in courts, news, patents by sally

‘The European patent landscape is changing significantly with the introduction of the unitary patent (UP) and Unified Patent Court (UPC). The UPC will provide a one-stop shop for patent litigation throughout a large part of Europe. Decisions will be made by local and regional divisions of the UPC based across Europe that sit under the umbrella of one centralised judicial framework.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st August 2022

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

UK rape victim left feeling ‘suicidal’ after five-year wait for case to come to trial – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2022 in barristers, courts, criminal justice, delay, fees, industrial action, mental health, Ministry of Justice, news, pilot schemes, rape, remuneration, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘A rape victim who will have been waiting five years by the time her case comes to court has said navigating the justice process has had a worse impact on her mental health than the crime itself, leaving her feeling “suicidal”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com