Straw: virtual courts deliver swift justice – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 29th, 2009 in courts, live link evidence, press releases by sally

“Justice Secretary Jack Straw praised the first virtual court pilot for delivering justice faster and more efficiently, when he visited Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 27th May 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Judge criticises court fee plans – BBC News

Posted May 11th, 2009 in costs, courts, news by sally

“A senior judge has called on the government to reconsider plans to increase court fees in civil and family cases in England and Wales.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th May 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Garlic smell closes court building – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 15th, 2009 in courts, news by sally

“Garlic oil was spread on radiators at a Crown Court, forcing hearings to be abandoned after the smell spread throught the building.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th April 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Domestic violence: 18 new special courts announced – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 27th, 2009 in courts, domestic violence, news, victims by sally

“Victims of Domestic Violence will receive extra help and support from 18 new Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice announced today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 26th March 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Extra judges drafted in to hear immigration appeals – The Times

Posted December 15th, 2008 in appeals, asylum, courts, immigration, news by sally

“Extra judges are being drafted in to deal with more than 8,000 asylum and immigration appeals a year that threaten to overload the courts.”

Full story 

The Times, 15th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Cuts and the Courts – BBC News

Posted November 18th, 2008 in courts, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice is seeking to save over £1 billion over the next three years.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th November 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Her Majesty’s Courts Service court user survey – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 12th, 2008 in courts, news by sally

“The bulletin presents the findings of the second year (2007/08) results from Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS) court user survey.”

Full survey

Ministry of Justice, 11th September 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Self-financing legal cases are too high a price for society – The Times

Posted September 4th, 2008 in courts, fees, special report by sally

“Justice, the much-quoted saying goes, is open to all – like the Ritz Hotel. Access to the courts can often depend on the depth of a person’s pocket, with some of the best lawyers coming at a prohibitively high price. But lawyers’ fees aside, should the courts be a free public service, like the health service? Or should litigants who use them pay the cost?”

Full story

The Times, 4th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Courts face closure as judges are told of £90m shortfall in collection of fees – The Times

Posted September 4th, 2008 in courts, fees, news by sally

“The criminal courts are facing their biggest cash crisis in decades after a warning to judges and magistrates of a £90 million shortfall in the budget for the justice system. Judges and magistrates in England and Wales have been told of the emergency, which is likely to result in trial delays, cancelled court sittings and redundancies.”

Full story

The Times, 4th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Surge in repossession orders clogging up the courts – The Times

Posted August 18th, 2008 in courts, delay, news, repossession by sally

“Courts are having to delay adoption hearings and personal injury claims to deal with a surge in mortgage repossessions.”

Full story

The Times, 16th August 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

TV’s legal fictions don’t do the profession justice – The Guardian

Posted June 30th, 2008 in courts, criminal justice, media, special report by sally

“Most people’s knowledge of the English legal system comes from watching TV drama. In most states of the US, trials are televised. Viewers see what actually goes on in a courtroom, including the functions and conduct of the judges and lawyers. Here, a modest scheme to televise some proceedings (though not criminal trials) seems to have been quietly dropped. So the main avenue for describing our legal system is through fiction: novels, films and – the most important in terms of the numbers reached – television.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

15th Australian Institute of Judicial Administration Oration “Courts Governance” – Speech by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers

Posted June 3rd, 2008 in courts, judiciary, speeches by sally

15th Australian Institute of Judicial Administration Oration “Courts Governance” (PDF)

Speech by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Federal Court of Australia, 30th May 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Information on accessing court, tribunal and prison service records – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 19th, 2008 in courts, data protection, news, prisons, tribunals by sally

“Updated guidance for researchers on accessing court, tribunal and prison service records.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

The Supreme Court and Other Constitutional Changes in the UK – Speech by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers

Posted May 8th, 2008 in constitutional law, courts, speeches by sally

The Supreme Court and Other Constitutional Changes in the UK (PDF)

Speech by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Address to members of the Royal Court, The Jersey Law Society, and members of the States of Jersey, 2nd May 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

National Westminster Bank plc v King – Times Law Reports

Posted April 14th, 2008 in courts, jurisdiction, law reports by sally

National Westminster Bank plc v King

Chancery Division

“The High Court’s power of transfer under section 40(2) of the County Courts Act 1984 was not limited to cases which would otherwise be within a county court’s jurisdiction.”

The Times, 14th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Civil Justice Centre shines in court gloom – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 10th, 2008 in courts, special report by sally

“Ever since Labour came to power in 1997, the Government has been spending only about half the money that was needed to keep the courts of law in good working order.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th April 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government announces a new tranche of specialist domestic violence court systems – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 3rd, 2008 in courts, domestic violence, press releases by sally

“The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the victims of domestic violence with the announcement of more than 30 new specialist domestic violence court systems across England and Wales.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 2nd April 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Straw confirms expansion of dedicated drugs courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 2nd, 2008 in courts, drug offences, press releases by sally

“Jack Straw has confirmed that drug courts, dedicated to tackling drug misuse and related crime, are to be extended to up to four more magistrates’ courts.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st April 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Dedicated drug court pilots: a process report – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 1st, 2008 in courts, drug offences, reports by sally

“In December 2005, the then Department of Constitutional Affairs announced a commitment to pilot Dedicated Drug Courts as part of the government’s agenda to reduce drug-related crime.

Matrix Knowledge Group has produced an independent process evaluation of the pilots in England and Wales: Leeds Magistrates’ Court and West London Magistrates’ Court.”

Dedicated drug court pilots – a process report (PDF)

Ministry of Justice, 31st March 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

The Lord Chief Justice’s Review of the Administration of Justice in the Courts – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted April 1st, 2008 in courts, reports by sally

The Lord Chief Justice’s Review of the Administration of Justice in the Courts (PDF)

Judiciary of England and Wales, 31st March 2008

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk