Consultations on local courts published – Ministry of Justice
“Ministers announced today proposals to modernise and improve the use of courts in England and Wales.”
Ministry of Justice, 23rd June 2010
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Category: courts
Jackson report: litigation processes and their impact on costs – Law Society’s Gazette
“Much has already been said about Lord Justice Jackson’s proposals for success fees, after-the-event insurance, costs shifting and the like, but much less, if anything, about litigation processes, and their impact on costs. Yet it is surely unarguable that a streamlining or simplification of the litigation process would result in a reduction in costs.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 26th April 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Unified courts and tribunals service – Ministry of Justice
“Justice Secretary Jack Straw has announced that the Ministry of Justice will be bringing Her Majesty’s Courts Service and the Tribunals Service into a new, single organisation.”
Ministry of Justice, 24th March 2010
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
More specialist domestic violence courts offer tailored support to victims – Ministry of Justice
“Victims of domestic violence will benefit from a further 14 new specialist domestic violence courts making a total of 141 courts in England and Wales.”
Ministry of Justice, 19th March 2010
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Courts service changes in England – Ministry of Justice
“Justice Secretary Jack Straw has made a statement on the closure of 20 under-used courts following full public consultations.”
Ministry of Justice, 18th March 2010
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Solicitors alarmed by associate prosecutor proposals – Law Society’s Gazette
“Proposals that could enable ‘associate prosecutors’ with no legal qualifications to conduct magistrates’ court trials amount to ‘justice on the cheap’ and herald the ‘de-lawyering’ of the magistrates’ court, solicitors have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 18th March 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Lord Chief Justice Publishes Administration of Justice Review – Judiciary of England & Wales
“The Lord Chief Justice’s ‘Review of the Administration of Justice in the Courts’ was published today. His report covers matters of importance to the judiciary relating to the administration of justice in England and Wales during the 2008-2009 Legal Year (1 October 2008 – 30 September 2009).”
Judiciary of England & Wales, 3rd February 2010
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Court of Appeal (Criminal) Review of the Legal Year 2008/2009 – Judiciary of England and Wales
“Court of Appeal (Criminal) Review of the Legal Year 2008/2009.”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 11th December 2009
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Loss of court reporters is a blow to open justice – The Guardian
“Open justice, an essential ingredient of a democracy, is usually understood to mean the absence of secret trials and the right of the individual – subject to very few carefully defined exceptions – to enter any of our courts and watch proceedings, without hindrance. But most people do not find it practical or easy to make such personal visits, so the principle of open justice has been extended to include the presence of representatives of the media, acting as the people’s proxy, reporting on behalf of the population what goes on in our courts.”
The Guardian, 7th December 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Court case results recording review shows error rate of 25% – Law Society’s Gazette
“HM Courts Service needs to improve the accuracy of its recording of case results ‘as a matter of urgency’, a report by HM Inspectorate of Court Administration (HMICA) found last week.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 29th October 2009
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Magistrates’ courts error warning – BBC News
“Criminals, including drug dealers and paedophiles, could be evading justice because of errors in magistrates’ courts records, a report has warned.”
BBC News, 23rd October 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Proposals to close 30 magistrates’ courts ‘threaten justice’ – Daily Telegraph
“The principle of local justice is being threatened under plans to close up to 30 courts to save money, magistrates have warned.”
Daily Telegraph, 13th October 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Changes to court services in England – Ministry of Justice
“Consultations are being held on the closure of 21 underused and inadequate courts in several regions of England.”
Ministry of Justice, 13th October 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Judges unsure about prefab courts – BBC News
“Judges have voiced concerns about plans to build prefabricated courtrooms next to a court that hears high profile terrorism and organised crime trials.”
BBC News, 10th October 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Solicitors boycott virtual courts – BBC News
“A government scheme to allow defendants to be dealt with via ‘virtual courts’ is being boycotted by solicitors who say it is ‘justice on the cheap’.
BBC News, 31st July 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Virtual courts deliver quick and efficient justice – Ministry of Justice
“The new virtual court pilot in Lewisham Police Station was formally opened today by Justice Ministers Bridget Prentice and Claire Ward.”
Ministry of Justice, 30th July 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Judges to work overtime as cuts and delays put justice at risk – The Times
“Courts face having to sit for an extra two hours a day as they struggle with rising workloads coupled with an unprecedented drive to cut costs.”
The Times, 10th July 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Jack Straw launches first mental health courts – Ministry of Justice
“Problem-solving courts for offenders with mental health problems or learning disabilities, the first of their kind in England and Wales, were today formally launched by Justice Secretary Jack Straw.”
Ministry of Justice, 2nd July 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Woolf v Genn: the decline of civil justice – The Times
“This week witnessed clashes between Lord Woolf, architect of the civil justice reforms of ten years ago, and Professor Dame Hazel Genn over the topic of her recent Hamlyn lectures, where she argued that the main thrust of civil justice reform was not about more access, nor about more justice. ‘It is simply about diversion of disputants away from the courts.'”
The Times, 23rd June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Straw: virtual courts deliver swift justice – Ministry of Justice
“Justice Secretary Jack Straw praised the first virtual court pilot for delivering justice faster and more efficiently, when he visited Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court.”
Ministry of Justice, 27th May 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
