Category: judiciary

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

Posted May 21st, 2012 in confidentiality, human rights, intelligence services, judges, judicial review, judiciary, jurisdiction, news, war by sally

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

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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

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in diversity, judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news, solicitors by sally

“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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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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

Judiciary needs to be more diverse, peers say – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2012 in diversity, equality, judiciary, news, reports by sally

“Setting targets to appoint more judges from among women and members of the ethnic minorities should be considered if the judiciary does not make itself more diverse within the next five years, peers recommend.”

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The Guardian, 28th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

White and male: diversity and the judiciary – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2012 in diversity, judiciary, news, reports by sally

“Are judges all white and male? Nearly – see exactly how the judiciary has changed.”

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The Guardian, 28th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Current judicial appointments system is ‘not fit for purpose’, says report – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2012 in diversity, equality, judiciary, news by sally

“New arrangements for appointing senior judges are needed to ensure a more diverse judiciary, according to a report published on Monday. It calls for the concept of ‘merit’ to be redefined and raises concerns that one branch of government risks becoming a self-perpetuating oligarchy.”

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The Guardian, 26th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Twice as many judges needed to handle benefits appeals – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 26th, 2012 in appeals, benefits, disabled persons, judiciary, news, remuneration, tribunals by sally

“Twice as many judges are needed to handle the high volume of appeals under the Government’s controversial new welfare regime, at a cost of at least £1million a year.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Independence Under Threat – Speech by Dame Heather Hallett DBE

Posted March 22nd, 2012 in judiciary, speeches by sally

Independence Under Threat (PDF)

Speech by Dame Heather Hallett DBE

Bentham Association Presidential Address, 21st March 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Lady Justice Hallett: Judges are only human – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 21st, 2012 in judiciary, news, speeches by sally

“A ‘constant barrage’ of personal attacks could one day prevent judges from making ‘brave but just’ decisions, a senior figure in the Appeal Court has warned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Employment: ECJ Considers Definition of “Workers” – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted March 19th, 2012 in EC law, employment, judiciary, news, part-time work, pensions by sally

“Morayo Fagborun Bennett says the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) decision in O’Brien v Ministry of Justice ‘sweeps away’ many of the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) justifications for distinguishing between part-time and full-time judges. ‘The MoJ is going to have to think hard how it handles the case when it comes back to the Supreme Court,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t lend itself to any easy settlement and there are thousands eagerly awaiting the outcome.'”

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Hardwick Chambers, 14th March 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Lord Neuberger’s seven principles empower judges to speak – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2012 in judgments, judiciary, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

“What should judges be able say outside the courts? One of the most senior judges, Lord Neuberger, has proposed some principles for ‘extra-judicial’ statements. These are likely to shape judicial contributions to public debate for some time to come, but do they go far enough?”

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The Guardian, 16th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk