Four sex-abuse cases referred to police for reconsideration – BBC News

“Police have been asked to reconsider their decision to drop four sex-abuse cases, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vulnerable victims will no longer have to give evidence in court, Chris Grayling says – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 11th, 2013 in cross-examination, evidence, news, trials, victims, video recordings by sally

“Young and vulnerable victims of crimes should not be subjected to traumatic
cross-examinations in court, Chris Grayling has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

 

Government’s justice reforms could push innocent people to plead guilty, warns regulator – Bar Standards Board

“Plans to pay legal aid lawyers the same amount for a ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ plea could lead to defendants being pressurised into pleading guilty, warns the Bar Standards Board (BSB). The BSB is responsible for regulating barristers in the public interest, upholding the rule of law and protecting consumers.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Laing v The Queen – WLR Daily

Posted May 28th, 2013 in appeals, human rights, law reports, Privy Council, reasons, trials by sally

Laing v The Queen [2013] UKPC 14; [2013] WLR (D) 198

Although the giving of reasons for dismissing an appeal against conviction was an important part of an appellant’s entitlement to a fair hearing of the appeal, if the conviction were otherwise sound it did not have to be quashed simply because of the failure to give reasons.

WLR Daily, 14th May 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Woolwich attack footage will stir debate over contempt laws – The Guardian

Posted May 28th, 2013 in contempt of court, internet, juries, media, murder, news, terrorism, trials by sally

“With videos and pictures being posted online and tweeted hundreds of times what does it mean when a trial comes about?”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers’ treatment of gang grooming victims prompts call for reform – The Guardian

“Campaigners demand urgent shake-up of court procedure after seven barristers cross-examined a girl every day for three weeks in child-grooming case.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Will the new criminal legal aid reforms breach the right to a fair trial? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 17th, 2013 in consultations, criminal justice, human rights, legal aid, news, trials by sally

“One of the most contentious proposals in the Consultation Paper on the transforming legal aid is the removal of client choice in criminal cases. Under the proposals contracts for the provision of legal aid will be awarded to a limited number of firms in an area. The areas are similar to the existing CPS areas. The Green Paper anticipates that there will be four or five such providers in each area. Thus the county of Kent, for example, will have four or five providers in an area currently served by fifty or so legal aid firms. Each area will have a limited number providers that will offer it is argued economies of scale.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 16th May 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Mental Impairment – Identifying the signs – One Inner Temple Lane

Posted May 15th, 2013 in learning difficulties, mental health, news, trials by sally

“The issue of identifying mental impairment in relation to a defendant is one which requires careful thought, skill and tact from the criminal practitioner. Practical examples of the way in which these conditions may manifest themselves are useful. A purely academic approach may not be sufficient when dealing with the vulnerable clients that might be encountered.”

Full story

One Inner Temple Lane, 8th May 2013

Source: www.1itl.com

Barclays Libor court case delayed until April 2014 – The Guardian

Posted April 30th, 2013 in banking, delay, fraud, interest, news, trials by sally

“The first UK trial concerning the alleged fraudulent manipulation of Libor rates has been delayed until next year after Barclays won the right to challenge aspects of the high court case.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The end of late chopping and changing – New Law Journal

Posted April 22nd, 2013 in amendments, budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news, pleadings, trials by sally

“‘We will amend at trial’ was one of the most common phrases in legal parlance. No more. It is evident on several fronts that the days of belated change, even well before trial, are over. I would go so far as to say that a practitioner failing to act at the earliest possible opportunity is now looking at a potential negligence claim. The robust new attitude demonstrated by Lord Justice Jackson and his cohorts has been applied to pleadings, experts and joinder.”

Full story

New Law Journal, 18th April 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Lord McAlpine wins first round in hearing for Twitter libel case – The Guardian

Posted April 16th, 2013 in defamation, news, trials by sally

“Lord McAlpine has won the first stage of his libel battle against Sally Bercow, the Commons speaker’s wife, after a high court judge ruled that the trial should be split into two stages.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prosecuting sexual assault: ‘Raped all over again’ – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in cross-examination, news, prosecutions, rape, sexual offences, suicide, trials, witnesses by sally

“Frances Andrade’s experience in the witness box left her feeling violated. Within days she had killed herself. Is it time we changed the way we prosecute sexual assault?”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council working party calls for end to witness statements in Rolls Building litigation – Litigation Futures

Posted March 26th, 2013 in news, reports, trials, witnesses by sally

“The involvement of solicitors and barristers in crafting witness statements in big-ticket litigation has neutered the current regime and it should be replaced by a system of witness summaries and live evidence-in-chief, a Bar Council working party has recommended.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 26th March 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Public inquiries should avoid mock trial image, says study – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2013 in inquiries, news, reports, trials by sally

“Public inquiries should avoid the atmosphere of a ‘mock trial’ in order to improve dialogue among participants, according to a study.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jackson and the occupational hazards of commoditised litigation: a practical view from the Bar – Littleton Chambers

Posted March 12th, 2013 in costs, insurance, news, trials, witnesses by sally

“In his monthly column, James Bickford Smith considers two judgments that illustrate the hazards of the commoditised litigation that will be transformed, for better or worse, by the Jackson  reforms.”

Full story (PDF)

Littleton Chambers, 6th March 2013

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Missing April Jones: Mark Bridger trial due to start – BBC News

Posted February 25th, 2013 in kidnapping, murder, news, perverting the course of justice, trials by sally

“The man accused of the abduction and murder of missing five-year-old April Jones is due to stand trial.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers debate whether trial by jury is the best option – BBC News

Posted February 21st, 2013 in criminal justice, juries, news, trials by sally

“John Cooper QC and Kirsty Brimelow QC discuss whether trial by jury is the best option.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Frances Andrade case: the treatment of vulnerable victims in the court system – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 20th, 2013 in news, sexual offences, suicide, trials, victims, witnesses by sally

“The recent suicide of Frances Andrade has sparked debate once again on the treatment of victims by the court system. Mrs Andrade had, days earlier, testified at the trial of her former music teacher, accused of rape and sexual abuse of her over a period of years during her teens. She took her own life whilst the trial was still continuing, but this information was subject to a reporting injunction until the trial had concluded.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 20th February 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Frances Andrade death: Charity calls for review in child abuse trials – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2013 in charities, child abuse, news, prosecutions, trials, victims by sally

“A charity for adults who were abused in childhood has said the way prosecutions are brought must change after a victim took her own life during a trial.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dale Cregan trial: Prosecution prepare to open case – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 7th, 2013 in murder, news, police, trials by sally

“The trial of a man accused of murdering two female police officers is expected to get under way today amid one of the tightest security operations ever mounted for a British court case.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk