Michael Gove hints at possible scrapping of criminal courts charge – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2015 in courts, criminal courts charge, criminal procedure, judiciary, news by sally

‘Michael Gove has given his broadest hint so far that he is seeking to ditch the highly unpopular criminal courts charge and could give magistrates and judges discretion over its enforcement.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Typical claimant” is male, self-employed, Asian and aged over 45, major MoJ survey finds – Litigation Futures

Posted November 3rd, 2015 in civil justice, courts, fees, news, reports, statistics by sally

‘The “typical claimant” in a civil court case is male, self-employed, Asian, healthy and aged over 45, a major survey for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has found.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 2nd November 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Man convicted of murder in secret trial seeks to take case to Strasbourg – The Guardian

Posted November 3rd, 2015 in appeals, courts, human rights, murder, news, private hearings, Supreme Court by sally

‘A Chinese dissident convicted of murder after a secret trial has appealed to Britain’s most senior judges to overturn a ban on him taking his case to the European court of human rights.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Let magistrates deal with more assault cases, says law reform body – The Guardian

Posted November 3rd, 2015 in assault, courts, Law Commission, legislation, magistrates, news, reports, violence by sally

‘Magistrates courts should be empowered to deal with thousands more assault charges every year rather than sending too many cases for expensive trial in the crown court, the Law Commission has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal courts charge denied compensation to rape victim, MPs told – The Independent

‘A rape victim did not get compensation from her attacker because of the Government’s controversial new court charge, MPs have been told.’

Full story

The Independent, 27th October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courts charge leaves victims waiting for justice, says former Solicitor General – The Independent

Posted October 22nd, 2015 in courts, criminal courts charge, criminal justice, delay, fees, news, recidivists, victims by sally

‘The Government’s controversial courts charge is causing major delays and leaving victims waiting for justice, a former Solicitor General has said.’

Full story

The Independent, 21st October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lady Hale joins chorus of concerns over criminal courts charge – The Guardian

Posted October 20th, 2015 in courts, criminal courts charge, fees, guilty pleas, judges, news, speeches by sally

‘The deputy president of the supreme court, Lady Hale, has become the latest judge to question whether the newly imposed criminal courts charge encourages defendants to plead guilty.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal Courts Charge and the magistrates’ revolt – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Any person over the age of 18 who is convicted of a criminal offence after 15 April 2015 will find that they have to pay “relevant court costs” (or criminal courts charge) in addition to a number of other payments.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th October 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Criminal Courts Charge – The Bar Council

Posted October 14th, 2015 in compensation, costs, courts, criminal courts charge, fees, guilty pleas, press releases by sally

‘Defendants accused of a crime they have not committed will be incentivised to plead guilty to avoid new court charges in criminal cases, warns the Bar Council ahead of a debate in the House of Lords.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 13th October 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Speech by President of the Queen’s Bench Division: Justice for the 21st Century – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Sir Brian Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division gave the Caroline Weatherill Lecture “Justice for the 21st Century” in the Isle of Man on 9 October 2015.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judicairy, 12th October 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Court estate consolidation plans based on flawed data – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 12th, 2015 in consultations, courts, delay, Law Society, local government, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘Lawyers and justice campaigners have raised fresh concerns about the government’s court closure programme, alleging that the proposals are based on out-of-date travel times and other dubious data.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court closure consultation in England and Wales ends – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2015 in consultations, courts, news, tribunals by sally

‘A government consultation on plans to close 91 courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and integrate or merge another 31, is closing.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Further court fee hikes “a denial of access to justice”, CJC says – Litigation Futures

Posted October 5th, 2015 in appeals, arbitration, civil justice, consultations, courts, fees, news, statistics by sally

‘A further round of court fee increases would amount to a “denial of access to justice”, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) has warned, adding its voice to the cacophony of opposition from the legal profession.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 5th October 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Criminal courts charge introducing plea-bargaining ‘through back door’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government’s criminal court charge could be introducing plea-bargaining through the back door, a leading thinktank has warned.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Civil court fee increases a ‘serious own goal’ – City lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 30th, 2015 in civil justice, consultations, courts, dispute resolution, fees, news by sally

‘Further civil court fee increases could force international businesses to take their legal work outside the UK, City lawyers have warned.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 29th September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Courts to move from ‘physical paradigm’ – new HMCTS chief – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 24th, 2015 in consultations, courts, news, speeches, tribunals by sally

‘Proceeds from the sale of underused court buildings will be invested in technology to move away from the “physical paradigm”, HM Courts and Tribunals Service’s new chief executive said today in her first public speech in the role.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court fee rise will give wealthy the upper hand, says Bar Council – The Bar Council

Posted September 18th, 2015 in civil justice, courts, fees, press releases, small businesses by sally

‘SMEs will be disadvantaged in chasing late payments from big business customers.
Wealthy individuals and big business will have the upper hand in court proceedings if further increases in court fees get the go ahead under plans announced by the Ministry of Justice, the Bar Council has warned.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 14th September

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Court fee hikes will tip justice balance towards rich – bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 16th, 2015 in barristers, civil justice, consultations, courts, equality, fees, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘The Bar Council has warned that government plans to increase court fees for a second time would unbalance civil justice, giving rich people and big businesses an unfair advantage.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Pressure grows to scrap controversial new financial penalties for anyone convicted of a crime -The Independent

‘The outcry over the new financial penalties for anyone convicted of a crime presents Michael Gove with a crucial test of his willingness to jettison flawed policies inherited from Chris Grayling, his predecessor as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor.’

Full story

The Independent, 11th September 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courtrooms to beef up protective measures for witnesses and victims – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2015 in courts, news, victims, witnesses by sally

‘More victims and witnesses will be helped to give evidence from behind courtroom screens, as a result of research that suggests nearly half of all victims who are put through the criminal justice system have reservations afterwards about giving evidence at a future trial.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk