‘Magistrates courts in England and Wales are to stop hearing and ruling on applications from energy firms to forcibly install prepayment meters with immediate effect.’
BBC News, 6th February 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Find out about District Judge (MC) Briony Clarke’s career journey and her experiences of being a woman in the legal profession.’
Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 1st December 2022
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘Three-quarters of magistrates do not want remote links to be used as extensively as they were during the pandemic, according to landmark research on their experiences in the criminal courts. After canvassing the views of 865 magistrates, a report published by the Magistrates Association, assisted by legal charity Transform Justice, concludes that audio and video links negatively impact communication and effective participation, particularly for vulnerable court users.’
Law Society's Gazette, 12th April 2022
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘It was confirmed on 18 January 2020 that Magistrates are to have their sentencing powers increased in the coming months, granting them broader power than ever before. The most significant change is that Magistrates’ will be able to impose a sentence of up to 12 months in custody which is double the previous maximum sentence. Effectively, this means that Magistrates will be able to accept jurisdiction for more serious either way offences, such as for Fraud, Theft or Assault, which would have originally been sent to the Crown Court without giving the Defendant the option to elect to remain in the Magistrates’.’
Pump Court Chambers, 7th February 2022
Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com
‘Adults in England and Wales are being encouraged to apply online via “a revised, streamlined recruitment process” to become a lay magistrate, in an effort to tackle a backlog of criminal cases caused by the pandemic.’
The Guardian, 24th January 2022
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Justice Secretary has dismissed criticism of plans to double magistrates’ sentencing powers in a bid to tackle the backlog of cases waiting to be dealt with by criminal courts.’
The Independent, 18th January 2022
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Magistrates in England and Wales will have greater sentencing powers to enable them to take on more cases, under plans to clear court backlogs.’
BBC news, 18th January 2022
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘In this recent judicial review (2021) EWHC 1964 (Admin) H.H. Judge Gosnell addressed interesting questions around closure orders, adjournments, Article 6(1) rights, and the refusal of the Magistrates Court to state a case. He declined to grant relief because the issue had become academic, but if that had not been the case he would have found for the Claimant. Leeds City Council, the Claimant’s landlord, were an Interested Party in the JR, took a neutral position and were not represented. Leeds District Magistrates Court, the Defendant, did the same, the usual approach where a court is challenged.’
Nearly Legal, 8th August 2021
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
‘An analysis of the law on fitness to plead and stand trial in the magistrates’ courts: Silas Lee reviews the key issues and provides some take-away points for defence representatives.’
Carmelite Chambers, 6th June 2021
Source: www.carmelitechambers.co.uk
‘A trial of six people over an Extinction Rebellion protest was delayed when a defendant glued himself to a table in court.’
BBC News, 10th May 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Judges, magistrates and coroners will be allowed to work up until the age of 75, the government announced today. The current standard mandatory retirement age of 70 dates from 1993. The Ministry of Justice said the change seeks to address the fact that people now work later into their lives and the government did not want to lose valued members of the judiciary.’
Law Society's Gazette, 8th March 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘A magistrate and NHS trust board member who was dismissed over his views – based on his beliefs as a Christian – about the appropriateness of the adoption of a child by a same-sex couple, has lost two cases in the Court of Appeal.’
Local Government Lawyer, 4th March 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘A woman is thought to be the first person in the UK to be found guilty of drink-driving while using an e-scooter.’
BBC News, 18th January 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Law Society has called for urgent action including a possible two-week pause of non-custodial Crown and magistrates’ court work “amid escalating safety concerns”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 15th January 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Half the fines issued by police for breaches of coronavirus rules in England and Wales have not been paid and will be dealt with by the already beleaguered courts, it has been revealed.’
The Guardian, 30th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘COVID-19 has taken a hammer to the already fragile transparency in our justice system. Open justice means that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. While journalists and court reporters can bring what happens in court to houses around the country, public access to our courts ensures judges and lawyers are sufficiently scrutinised. The coronavirus pandemic and the transition to virtual courts has all but severed public access to magistrates’ courts, risking the routine occurrence of miscarriages of justice with little prospect of correction.’
Transparency Project, 27th May 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘The Lord Chief Justice has sent a message to magistrates saying the volume of work in the Magistrates’ Courts needs to be increased.’
Local Government Lawyer, 20th May 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Joshua Rozenberg from BBC Radio 4 spoke with Maidstone Bench Chair Gill Fryzer and John Bache from the Magistrates Association for his Law in Action programme.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 7th November 2019
Source: www.judiciary.ukwww.judiciary.ukwww.judiciary.uk
‘A legal defence for children who claim they are being exploited by county lines drug gangs needs to be monitored more closely, the Magistrates’ Association has warned.’
The Guardian, 6th October 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
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