Prisoner votes: Strasbourg should give way to national independence – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2012 in constitutional law, courts, elections, human rights, news, parliament, prisons by sally

“The constitutional crisis predicted for years by Professor Vernon Bogdanor is upon us. He warned that the human rights reforms of the 1990s created a potential conflict between the sovereignty of parliament and the rule of law. ‘What happens if there is a clash between the two principles?’ he asked in his Magna Carta lecture of 2006. A very senior judge to whom he had posed the conundrum had replied ‘That is a question that ought not to be asked.'”

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The Guardian, 29th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Norfolk judge calls for ‘traumatic’ court scenes to be televised – BBC News

Posted October 25th, 2012 in courts, judges, media, news by sally

“A judge has said some traumatic scenes in court should be televised to show the devastation wreaked by road deaths.”

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BBC News, 24th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Courtroom chaos’: Government accused of endangering justice by using cut-price courtroom interpreters – The Independent

Posted October 24th, 2012 in contracting out, courts, interpreters, news by sally

“Britain’s leading translators today accused the government of endangering justice with a cut-price private contract for courtroom interpreters, which is ‘dangerous to the interests of public safety.'”

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The Independent, 23rd October 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Community justice: The power of the panel – BBC News

Posted October 22nd, 2012 in budgets, courts, news, restorative justice, volunteers by sally

“John Gallagher describes a neighbour dispute which had run for seven years and descended into an anti-social behaviour case.

It was finally brought to an end in a guildhall in South Somerset through a community justice panel.”

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BBC News, 20th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Litigant in person ‘not entitled to indulgence’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 18th, 2012 in courts, litigants in person, mental health, news by sally

“The Court of Appeal has told a self-represented litigant that his lack of legal understanding does not entitle him to ‘extra indulgence’.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Flexible courts to open in dozens of areas – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 11th, 2012 in courts, criminal justice, magistrates, news, pilot schemes by sally

“Thousands more people will benefit from flexible courts, Criminal Justice Minister Damian Green said today as he unveiled a list of dozens of new pilot areas.”

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Ministry of Justice, 11th October 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

‘Swift justice’ pilot schemes unveiled – BBC News

Posted October 11th, 2012 in courts, criminal justice, magistrates, news, pilot schemes by sally

“A substantial increase in the number of flexible criminal justice pilot schemes across England and Wales is to be announced by the government.”

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BBC News, 11th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Justice minister: we’ll stop weekend courts pilot if critics are right – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 8th, 2012 in courts, criminal justice, news, pilot schemes by sally

“New justice minister Jeremy Wright today said the government would cancel plans for weekend court hearings if the trial proves to be unsuccessful.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 8th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Weekend court plans in ‘chaos’ – LegalVoice

“Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to pilot Sunday magistrates’ courts have been hit by a technical hitch after prisons said they could not accept new prisoners on that day, writes Elizabeth Davidson. However, its pilot of full-day Saturday courts is still on schedule to begin in the Manchester area this weekend, despite vocal opposition from local criminal lawyers, some of whom claim taking part could leave them vulnerable to expensive employment tribunal claims.”

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LegalVoice, 27th September 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Secret courts: the essential guide – The Guardian

Posted September 25th, 2012 in bills, closed material, courts, intelligence services, news, private hearings by sally

“Is the justice and security bill a threat to fundamental legal liberties or a necessary veil to protect state secrets? Here’s what you need to know about the expansion of trials behind closed courtroom doors.”

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The Guardian, 25th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Separating couples ignorant of dispute resolution options – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 24th, 2012 in courts, dispute resolution, divorce, news by sally

“Nearly half of British adults think they have to go to court to get divorced, according to a survey that shows a lack of awareness of non-court options for family law matters.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th September 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Tony Blair’s ‘disastrous’ wars to blame for secret courts, says Ken Clarke – The Guardian

“Ken Clarke has blamed Tony Blair’s ‘disastrous war on terror’ for the need to introduce secret courts to protect sensitive intelligence material.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: The justice and security bill is on the right track

Minimum 28 years in jail for rapist who murdered pensioner – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2012 in courts, murder, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A rapist who murdered a pensioner has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum 28 years behind bars.”

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The Independent, 17th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Indeterminate sentences ruling due from European Court – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2012 in compensation, courts, human rights, news, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

“The European Court of Human Rights is set to rule later on whether indeterminate prison sentences in England and Wales are lawful.”

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BBC News, 18th September 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Former Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson visits British court – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 17th, 2012 in courts, magistrates, news, police by sally

“Sir Paul Stephenson, Britain’s former top policeman, spends a day at a magistrates’ court, and is shocked by what he finds.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Our creaking courts: a day inside Westminister Magistrate’s

Court interpreting criticised as ‘wholly inadequate’ in damning NAO report – The Guardian

Posted September 13th, 2012 in courts, interpreters, news, reports by sally

“The Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) privatisation of court interpreting services became ‘fully operational before it was ready’ and was initially ‘wholly inadequate’, according to a highly critical report by the National Audit Office.”

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The Guardian, 12th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A bluffer’s guide to human rights courts – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 11th, 2012 in courts, human rights, news by sally

“Back to basics, then, as the new academic year starts. Which courts decide human rights cases, when, and by what rules?.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 10th September 2012

Source: www.www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ken Clarke’s weekend court plans in tatters as lawyers object – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 28th, 2012 in courts, legal profession, news, pilot schemes by sally

“The Coalition’s plans to speed up the courts system are in tatters as lawyers   across the country refuse to sit at weekends.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th August 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Secret court proposals compared to superinjunctions – The Guardian

Posted August 20th, 2012 in closed material, courts, injunctions, intelligence services, news by sally

“The government’s plan to establish a new generation of secret courts has sparked fresh controversy after it emerged that the fact that a hearing is to be held behind closed doors may itself be kept secret.”

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The Guardian, 19th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court interpreter checks ‘non-existent’ – BBC News

Posted August 9th, 2012 in courts, interpreters, news by sally

“Interpreters from a private company have been working in courts in England and Wales without the required criminal record checks, the BBC has been told.”

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BBC News, 9th August 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk