Category: courts

Media reporters’ Charter – open justice, but only for some – Transparency Project

Posted May 23rd, 2022 in codes of practice, courts, HM Courts Service, media, news by sally

‘A new “Reporters’ Charter” outlining the rights and responsibilities of court reporters has been launched to boost transparency in the justice system, according an announcement by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The charter, part of the General guidance to staff on supporting media access to courts and tribunals, was developed by the Media Lawyers Association and HM Courts and Tribunals Service and unveiled at the Society of Editors Annual Conference on 11 May 2022.’

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Transparency Project, 22nd May 2022

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

New Charter to improve media access to courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 17th, 2022 in courts, law reports, media, news, reporting restrictions by tracey

‘A new Reporters’ Charter outlining the rights and responsibilities of court reporters has been launched to boost transparency in the justice system.’

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Ministry of Justice, 11th May 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

New English witness evidence rules likely to influence wider best practice – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 29th, 2022 in courts, evidence, news, practice directions, witnesses by tracey

‘Businesses involved in disputes before a wide range of courts and tribunals should expect their factual witness evidence to be closely scrutinised and should be aware of best practice principles recently set out by one of the main branches of the English courts.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th April 2022

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Insulate Britain members disrupt trial by gluing hands to court furniture – The Guardian

Posted April 27th, 2022 in climate change, courts, demonstrations, environmental protection, freedom of expression, news, nuisance, trials by sally

‘Three members of Insulate Britain have disrupted a magistrates court trial, gluing their hands to court furniture and paying tribute to the environmental activist who died after setting himself on fire outside the US supreme court.’

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The Guardian, 26th April 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs lament “missed opportunities” of court reform programme – Legal Futures

Posted April 27th, 2022 in courts, HM Courts Service, inquiries, Ministry of Justice, news, select committees, statistics by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) have “missed opportunities to swiftly deliver an ambitious court reform programme”, MPs on the justice select committee say today.’

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Legal Futures, 27th April 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Insulate Britain declares courts ‘site of civil resistance’, saying legal system not legitimate – The Independent

Posted April 22nd, 2022 in climate change, courts, criminal damage, demonstrations, environmental protection, judiciary, news by sally

‘Climate protest group Insulate Britain has declared Britain’s courts “a site of non-violent civil resistance”, saying the UK legal system no longer has any legitimacy.’

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The Independent, April 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Covid: Half of Nightingale Courts to close within weeks – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2022 in coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, news by sally

‘Almost half of the temporary Nightingale Courts set up at the start of the pandemic are to close, the Ministry of Justice has announced.’

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BBC News, 3rd March 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nightingale court tells parents of victim of alleged rape there is no room for them at trial – The Giuardian

Posted February 14th, 2022 in children, courts, families, Ministry of Justice, news, police, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘The parents of a schoolgirl who has accused a stranger of rape have been told by police that there is not enough space in a Nightingale court for them to attend the alleged attacker’s trial.’

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The Guardian, 13th February 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

A Review of the Year in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) 2020 – 2021 – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted February 7th, 2022 in appeals, courts, news, statistics by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) has published its annual report for 2020-21.’

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 31st January 2022

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Raab defends plan to double magistrates’ sentencing powers – The Independent

Posted January 18th, 2022 in courts, delay, imprisonment, magistrates, news, sentencing by tracey

‘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.’

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The Independent, 18th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Magistrates to get power to jail offenders for a year – BBC News

Posted January 18th, 2022 in courts, delay, imprisonment, magistrates, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Magistrates in England and Wales will have greater sentencing powers to enable them to take on more cases, under plans to clear court backlogs.’

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BBC news, 18th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reform or revolution? – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 17th, 2021 in courts, local government, news, practice directions, trials, witnesses by michael

‘How is Practice Direction 57AC bedding down? Marion Smith QC, Joe-han Ho, Ruth Keating and Philippe Kuhn look at its impact.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th December 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

HMCTS: Public prefers remote hearings but professionals see declining respect – Legal Futures

Posted December 13th, 2021 in coronavirus, courts, HM Courts Service, news, remote hearings, statistics, trials by tracey

‘Public users of the courts generally prefer remote to in-person hearings, but they have led to declining levels of respect, formality and concentration, according to government research.’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Electronic court bundles – Family Law

Posted December 13th, 2021 in codes of practice, courts, documents, electronic filing, news by tracey

‘The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary have issued general guidance on electronic court bundles. The guidance is intended to ensure consistency in the provision of electronic bundles for court hearings (but not tribunal hearings) in a format that promotes the efficient preparation for, and management of, a hearing.’

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Family Law, 9th December 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Inability to find criminal lawyers ‘chickens coming home to roost’ – LCJ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 19th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The inability to find barristers to represent criminal defendants is an example of “chickens coming home to roost”, the lord chief justice has said.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th November 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

England’s austerity-hit courts losing days of work to collapsing ceilings, broken lifts and Arctic conditions – The Independent

Posted November 17th, 2021 in budgets, courts, delay, health & safety, HM Revenue & Customs, judges, Ministry of Justice, news, repairs by sally

‘England’s courts are so run-down they are losing days of work to collapsing ceilings, broken lift and Arctic conditions, the Lord Chief Justice has said.’

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The Independent, 16th November 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lord Justice Haddon-Cave pens article for the Australian Law Journal – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted November 12th, 2021 in courts, judges, news, terrorism, trials by tracey

‘Lord Justice Haddon-Cave has written an article about the conduct of terrorism trials in England and Wales for a special edition of the Australian Law Journal on “National Security and the Law”.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 11th November 2021

Source: www.judiciary.uk

‘Super courtroom’ to open in Loughborough to deal with gang trials – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2021 in courts, drug trafficking, gangs, Ministry of Justice, money laundering, murder, news by tracey

‘A “super courtroom” has been built to help deal with gang trials with large numbers of defendants.’

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BBC News, 9th November 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice warns government over ‘value of the rule of law’ in courts funding plea – The Independent

Posted November 5th, 2021 in budgets, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, government departments, judges, Ministry of Justice, news, rule of law, statistics by michael

“In his annual report, published on Friday [5th November], Lord Burnett of Maldon warned that the only way to cut record waiting times was to run crown courts at full capacity for the ‘foreseeable future’.”

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The Independent, 5th November 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

England and Wales court backlog crisis ‘to go on for several years’ – The Guardian

Posted October 22nd, 2021 in budgets, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by sally

‘The backlog of cases in criminal courts in England and Wales is likely to be a pervasive issue for several years, severely affecting victims, witnesses and defendants, the National Audit Office has said.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com