‘The Lord Chief Justice called it “the biggest pilot project that the justice system has ever seen” and said “there will be no going back to February 2020”. Remote court hearings would have come sooner or later, but thanks to Covid-19 they came at us fast, in March 2020, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Ironically, they were one of the things the massive £1bn court modernisation programme was supposed to have developed, but when it came to the crunch HMCTS wasn’t quite ready so there was “the most extraordinary scramble”, said Professor Hazel Genn, to find solutions that worked.’
Transparency Project, 25th August 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘The new video platform enabling more remote cases to be heard in the criminal courts will rolled out to the civil courts over the coming months, the Ministry of Justice confirmed yesterday.’
Litigation Futures, 2nd July 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland has today (1 July 2020) outlined a ‘renewal for justice’ as courts harness increased investment, improved technology and a range of emergency measures to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.’
Ministry of Justice, 1st July 2020
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
‘It is encouraging that HMCTS (Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has published their organisational risk assessment, dealing with the broad approach to the assessment of risk around the attendance of public and professionals at court hearings during the Covid-19 outbreak. It is for others to comment on whether the apparent assumption that adherence to a two metre social distancing rule within court buildings will in fact be safe, though we note that some materials suggest that spending long periods of time in a confined room, especially an air conditioned one, is unlikely to be risk free. People can however, make up their own minds about that assessment and whether or not it is wise for them to attend court if not essential.’
Transparency Project, 20th May 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service says decisions on personal protective equipment are in line with official guidance following enquiries by the Gazette about what measures are being taken to protect staff at courts being kept open during the pandemic.’
Law Society's Gazette, 21st April 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Maintaining access to justice and enabling people to exercise their rights and have effective participation in the legal system has never been more important than now. The judiciary are quickly adapting their ways of working to deliver justice during the coronavirus pandemic.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 3rd April 2020
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service has today (13 March) issued guidance for all court and tribunal users during the coronavirus outbreak.’
Local Government Lawyer, 13th March 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The government’s court modernisation programme may not be completed by the deadline of 2023, the House of Commons public accounts committee (PAC) has warned in its latest report on the project.’
- Legal Futures, 6th November 2019
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘The most vulnerable in society are at risk of being excluded from access to justice due to poor digital skills, lack of legal advice, court closures and “dilapidated” courthouses, MPs have warned in a damning critique of the government’s modernisation programmes.’
The Guardian, 31st October 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Many court closures in the past have not been based on the real travelling times it would take people to get to an alternative building, the chief executive of HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has admitted.’
Legal Futures, 17th October 2019
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Nearly 80 more courts in England and Wales are due to close under a justice transformation scheme that is falling behind schedule, a watchdog’s report has revealed.’
The Guardian, 13th September 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘There is as yet “no clear answer” to the question of whether an online court will facilitate easier access to the court system, research has found.’
Legal Futures, 9th August 2019
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Courts in England and Wales are suffering from decades of neglect and need an injection of hundreds of millions of pounds for repairs, the lord chief justice has told MPs.’
The Guardian, 20th November 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC) said today that they have “little confidence” that the court modernisation programme can be delivered.’
Legal Futures, 20th July 2018
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Plans to close courts across the UK could see suspects failing to turn up for hearings, the public accounts committee has warned.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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