Lord Chief Justice warns pay freeze will cause ‘problems’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 6th, 2012 in budgets, judiciary, news, pensions, remuneration by sally

“The country’s most senior judge has warned that Government cuts to take-home pay could damage the quality of the judiciary in future.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd August 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Religious no-go area for the courts with their “costly crudities” – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 23rd, 2012 in courts, dispute resolution, judiciary, news, trusts by tracey

“Khaira v. Shergill [2012] EWCA Civ 893 – We have become used to the courts getting involved, more or less willingly, in religious issues, not least where religious freedoms conflict with legal rules which are said to be inconsistent with the exercise of those freedoms. But as Adam Wagner pointed out, in an earlier round of this litigation concerning two Sikh places of worship (Gurdwaras), the courts have developed rules stopping themselves from deciding certain cases, not least because the courts recognise they don’t know what they are doing once they get themselves immersed in issues of religious doctrine.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd July 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

One Judge down. Who is next in line to be lord chief justice? – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2012 in judiciary, news by tracey

“An unusually large number of senior judges are due to retire in the next year or so. Who might replace them?”

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The Guardian, 19th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoJ told to deliver fight plan in Supreme Court battle over judicial pensions – The Lawyer

Posted July 16th, 2012 in employment, judiciary, news, part-time work, pensions, Supreme Court by sally

“The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) must devise a successful objective justification defence if it is to defeat a discrimination claim being pursued against it by a part-time judge, the Supreme Court has said.”

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The Lawyer, 13th July 2012

Source: www.thelawyer.com

More than 75 judges disciplined for misconduct – Daily Telegraph

“More than 75 judges were disciplined for misconduct last year, official figures show, with some banned after being jailed for crimes as serious as blackmail and manslaughter.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lack of understanding about the judiciary is unacceptable and dangerous – The Guardian

Posted July 6th, 2012 in judiciary, juries, news by tracey

“Judges are subject to a greater level of scrutiny than ever before. It is time to develop judicial studies in Britain.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Courtroom profiles: ‘I think the lives of all of us have changed’ – The Guardian

“Reading the Riots spoke to people with various experiences of the justice system, including a judge, lawyers and a looter.”

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The Guardian, 3rd July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chaos in the courts as justice system rushed to restore order – The Guardian

“Prosecutors speak of their pride in the way the CPS and the courts rose to the unprecedented challenge of the English riots, but defence lawyers tell a story of panic and paralysis.”

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The Guardian, 3rd July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government ‘misunderstood’ role of judge in secret courts bill – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2012 in bills, closed material, judiciary, news, private hearings by sally

“Key safeguards supposedly built into proposals for extending secret hearings in civil courts have either been ‘misunderstood or misrepresented’ by the government, a parliamentary committee has been warned.”

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The Guardian, 26th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Talking About Reform – Speech by Mr Justice Ryder

Posted June 26th, 2012 in bills, civil justice, courts, evidence, family courts, judiciary, speeches by sally

Talking About Reform (PDF)

Speech by Mr Justice Ryder

Public Child Care Law Conference, 26th June 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Decision on extradition treaties is overdue – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2012 in extradition, judiciary, jurisdiction, news, prosecutions, treaties, warrants by sally

“Theresa May’s response to the extradition treaty review has become even more pressing amid the Richard O’Dwyer case.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

There is a democratic deficit in the courts… here’s how to fill it – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 18th, 2012 in disclosure, elections, internet, judiciary, law reports, news, parliament by sally

“The current Government often complains about a ‘democratic deficit’ in the courts. It seems that ‘unelected judges’ are making important decisions on social policy without any kind of democratic mandate, particularly in controversial human rights cases.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 17th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

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).”

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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.”

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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.”

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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