More female judges appointed – but ethnic minority candidates making slower progress – The Guardian

Posted June 15th, 2012 in diversity, judiciary, minorities, news, women by sally

“Women have a made a strong showing in the latest appointments to the bench, according to the latest statistics released by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clashes between politicians and judges – BBC Law in Action

“Major confrontations between the courts and the government in Britain and the United States are looming. Just this week, the Home Secretary has warned British judges to take account of the views of MPs on foreign offenders who claim the right to family life. But the courts are also poised to rule on the contentious issue of assisted dying, where those who wish to end their own life are seeking new rights.”

Listen

BBC Law in Action, 12th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Employment judge first to fall foul of new misconduct rules – The Lawyer

“An employment judge has become the first to be publicly censured under new rules that will see all judges and magistrates who are disciplined for misconduct have their cases publicised by the Office for Judicial Complaints (OJC).”

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The Lawyer, 11th June 2012

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Article 8 and a half – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 11th, 2012 in deportation, human rights, interpretation, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

“Tomorrow, the Home Secretary will announce to Parliament plans to give judges guidance on how to interpret Article 8 ECHR (the right to private and family life) in foreign criminal deportation cases. There has been already significant speculation as to whether the long-heralded changes will make much or even any difference.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 10th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The case for code – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2012 in constitutional reform, judiciary, legal history, news by sally

“The common law leads to complexity. Is that always a good thing?”

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The Guardian, 6th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thank god inquests are still open, but can we have some consistency please? – The Guardian

Posted June 6th, 2012 in coroners, criminal justice, inquests, judiciary, news, public interest by sally

“Thanks either to coalition politics or press pressure, proposals for ‘secret’ inquests were last week ceremoniously ditched from the justice and security bill.”

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The Guardian, 6th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice and Security Bill: The Government is not for turning – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 30th, 2012 in bills, closed material, inquests, judiciary, news, private hearings by tracey

“Publishing the Justice and Security Bill this morning, the Secretary of State for Justice said ‘I  have used the last few months to listen to the concerns of … civil liberties campaigners with whom I usually agree.’ There are many people who today would sorely like to agree that Ken has listened and has taken their concerns on board. Unfortunately, the Government’s analysis remains fundamentally flawed. The Green Paper was clearly a ‘big ask’. There have undoubtedly been significant changes made from the proposals in the Green Paper. However, the secret justice proposals in the Justice and Security Bill remain fundamentally unfair, unnecessary and unjustified.”

Full story

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Improving Judicial Diversity – Speech by Lord Justice Goldring, Senior Presiding Judge

Posted May 23rd, 2012 in diversity, judiciary, speeches by sally

Improving Judicial Diversity (PDF)

Speech by Lord Justice Goldring, Senior Presiding Judge

Westminster Legal Policy Forum, 23rd May 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Lawcast 202: Gary Slapper on the fabric of law in society and weird cases – Charon QC

Posted May 23rd, 2012 in judiciary, legal education, legal profession, podcasts by sally

“Today I am talking with Professor Gary Slapper, Director of NYU. We have a wide ranging discussion on the fabric of law in society, the College of Law sale, the proposed new ‘practice oriented’ degrees and their value, if any, and consider the quality of judges. Gary also introduces a few unusual cases towards the end.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 22nd May 2012

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

A secret justice climb down? Perhaps not – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 21st, 2012 in bills, closed material, judiciary, news, private hearings, public interest by sally

“It appears that the Government has climbed down, in part, from some of its controversial secret justice proposals. According to the Telegraph, the Justice and Security Bill, which will be published this week, will include a provision whereby judges, not the Government, has the final say on whether a Closed Material Procedure (CMP) is used. Moreover, CMPs will be restricted to ‘national security cases’ rather than any case ‘in the public interest’.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 21st May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judges to decide on secret evidence as Clarke pushes ahead with plans – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 21st, 2012 in bills, closed material, judiciary, news, private hearings, public interest by sally

“Judges will decide whether national security evidence can be heard in secret in a partial climbdown on plans to be unveiled by Kenneth Clarke this week.”

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Daily Telegraph, 20th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Supreme Court judge on war, intelligence and the retreat of judicial deference – UK Human Rights Blog

“The recent standoff between two leading judicial lights, Jonathan Sumption and Stephen Sedley, may make for entertaining reading, but don’t be fooled.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 20th May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

New laws help diverse judiciary – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 14th, 2012 in bills, diversity, judiciary, news by sally

“More women and people from minority backgrounds will be encouraged to become judges under plans announced today by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke.”

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Ministry of Justice, 11th May 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

JAC commissioner: ‘let solicitors become judges’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“The newly-appointed solicitor commissioner to the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) has expressed scepticism about targets and quotas for diversity as well as the ‘tipping point’ method of favouring under-represented groups.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Brighton Declaration on ECHR reform adopted – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in admissibility, human rights, judiciary, news by sally

“Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has announced that the UK has negotiated a landmark agreement on reform of the European Court of Human Rights.”

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Ministry of Justice, 20th April 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

The Brighton Declaration and the “meddling court” – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in admissibility, courts, human rights, judiciary, jurisdiction, news by sally

“The Brighton Declaration is the latest Declaration (see previously the Interlaken and Izmir Declarations) on the future (and reform) of the European Court of Human Rights made on behalf of the 47 member States to the Council of Europe, the parent organisation for the ECHR. Brighton was the venue, the United Kingdom having taken up the six month Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe late last year.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd April 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ken Clarke: ECHR reforms ‘will cut UK’s frustration’ – BBC News

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in admissibility, appeals, courts, deportation, human rights, judiciary, jurisdiction, news by sally

“Ken Clarke has said changes to the European Court of Human Rights will reduce ‘frustration’ over cases such as the proposed deportation of Abu Qatada.”

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BBC News, 22nd April 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Yes, criticise individual cases but Strasbourg court should develop law – The Guardian

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in admissibility, human rights, judiciary, jurisdiction, news by sally

“Report shows most criticism of judgments from European court of human rights is fact-specific.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human rights debate suffering ‘democratic deficit’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 17th, 2012 in human rights, judiciary, news, reports by sally

“Unelected judges do not take the views of politicians seriously enough in the increasingly ‘ferocious’ debate about human rights, an academic report suggests today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Parliaments and Human Rights (PDF)

Reforming The Civil Justice System – The Role of IT – Speech by Lord Justice Jackson

Posted March 28th, 2012 in civil justice, costs, judiciary, speeches by sally

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