Specialist planning court proposed to boost UK business – Ministry of Justice

“A specialist planning court has been proposed by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling to help ensure crucial development projects no longer get mired in unnecessary legal delay.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 6th September 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

UK judge defends ‘demonised’ Strasbourg court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 6th, 2013 in courts, human rights, judges, news, speeches by sally

“Sir Nicolas Bratza, until last year president of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, said that although the court has been ‘demonised in the popular press and elsewhere as the elephant in the room, a kangaroo court and a Mickey Mouse tribunal’, the work of UK courts in applying the ECHR has been ‘exemplary.’ ”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th September 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court failings scupper 500 cases a week – The Independent

Posted September 5th, 2013 in courts, Crown Prosecution Service, delay, news, reports, victims, witnesses by sally

“More than 500 court cases are being thrown out or delayed each week due to failings by prosecutors or in the court system, it has been claimed.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Commercial Court waiting times increase – Litigation Futures

Posted September 3rd, 2013 in Commercial Court, courts, delay, news, reports by sally

“There are lengthening delays in the Commercial Court, with the Lord Chief Justice speaking of the ‘powerful’ pressures on the civil justice system.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 3rd September 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Muslim woman must remove burka in court, judge insists – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 23rd, 2013 in courts, identification, Islam, news, women by sally

“A judge has refused to let a Muslim woman in a full-length burka enter a plea until she shows her face to the court.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Damian Green: Reforming the role of magistrates – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 15th, 2013 in courts, criminal procedure, magistrates, news, sentencing, speeches by sally

“More than 4,000 defendants each year are sent to the Crown Court for sentencing when they could be dealt with in the magistrates’ court, costing valuable money and time Justice Minister Damian Green said today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 14th August 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Thousands fail to appear in court in Wales in 2012 – BBC News

Posted August 12th, 2013 in costs, courts, delay, freedom of information, news, statistics, Wales, warrants by sally

“Thousands of defendants failed to appear at courts in Wales last year, causing ‘significant and costly’ problems, BBC Wales has learnt.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Top judge rejects calls for specialist sex crime courts – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 7th, 2013 in child abuse, courts, cross-examination, judges, news, sexual offences, victims, witnesses by sally

“The most senior judge in England and Wales has rejected calls for specialist courts to deal with child sex abuse cases.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Culture change call for Chancery Division – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 1st, 2013 in computer programs, courts, news, reports by sally

“The Chancery Division of the High Court must undergo cultural change – and replace its ‘patchwork quilt’ of IT systems – according to the first comprehensive review of the division in 30 years.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 31st July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The courts will not be privatised but reform is needed, Lord Chancellor and top judges declare – Litigation Futures

Posted July 26th, 2013 in courts, judges, news by sally

“The courts will not be privatised, but ways to generate more income and capital for investment are under review – as are ‘difficult decisions’ about court fees, it emerged yesterday.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 26th July 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Leicester Crown Court is ‘in crisis’ according to lawyers – BBC News

Posted July 26th, 2013 in courts, Crown Court, delay, judiciary, law firms, news by sally

“Victims of crime are being put through unnecessary extra stress because of a ‘crisis’ caused by a lack of judges at Leicester Crown Court, lawyers claim.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal commends short rulings as way to cut “soaring costs of litigants” – Litigation Futures

Posted July 25th, 2013 in appeals, civil justice, costs, courts, judgments, news by sally

“Short, old-style rulings that lay out the legal propositions relevant to the case and the conclusions reached by applying them should help reduce the cost litigation, the Court of Appeal has suggested.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 25th July 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Coroner’s court overhaul begins in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2013 in codes of practice, coroners, courts, delay, inquests, news by sally

“Most inquests in England and Wales will be completed within six months
under a new code of standards for coroners which has come into effect.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Putting a ring on it, Constitutional Carnage and Court Transparency – The Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 23rd, 2013 in constitutional law, courts, human rights, marriage, news by sally

“This week, the government’s controversial legislation on same sex marriage received Royal Assent. And, as we welcome a new royal baby, less glamorous facets of the UK’s constitutional arrangements have been in the news.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 23rd July 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The Murder Trial – Channel 4

Posted July 10th, 2013 in courts, murder, news, retrials, Scotland, video recordings by sally

“For the first time ever, remotely operated cameras have been placed inside a British criminal court to capture a murder trial in its entirety for this feature-length documentary.”

4oD

Channel 4, 9th July 2013

Source: www.channel4.com

Should TV cameras be allowed in British courts? – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 9th, 2013 in courts, media, news, Scotland, video recordings by sally

“A Scottish trial has been filmed for TV. Could this ever happen in England, asks Neil Midgley.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Nat Fraser case: Murder trial to be broadcast on TV

The Daily Telegraph have recently introduced a limited paywall. Users will be permitted to view 20 Daily Telegraph articles per month for free, after which they will need to pay a subscription fee to access content.

Specialist courts under microscope on costs budgeting – Law Society’s Gazette

“Exempting mandatory costs budgeting for claims in excess of £2m may be ‘unnecessary and inappropriate’, a newly established sub-group of the Civil Procedure Rule committee has suggested.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Television cameras may be allowed to film in crown courts – The Guardian

Posted July 2nd, 2013 in consent, courts, Crown Court, judiciary, media, news, sentencing, witnesses by sally

“The government is risking a fresh row with the judiciary by raising the prospect that television cameras could be allowed to film within crown courts.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The mechanics of Deferred Prosecution Agreements in the UK – Speech by Oliver Heald QC MP

“Speech to the C5 7th Advanced Forum on Anti Corruption on the role of prosecutors and the court.”

Full speech

Attorney-Geberal’s Office, 28th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Damian Green: ‘Digital Courtrooms’ to be rolled out nationally – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 28th, 2013 in case management, courts, documents, electronic filing, press releases by sally

“Courtrooms will be fully digital by 2016 ending the court service’s ‘outdated’ reliance on paper, Justice Minister Damian Green said today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Jutice, 28th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice