Steamy windows: Setting the correct temperature for hot tubbing in international arbitrations – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted January 17th, 2013 in arbitration, cross-examination, evidence, expert witnesses, news, tribunals, witnesses by sally

“Much has been written about this subject but for the uninitiated this taking of oral evidence (usually from experts) ‘hot tub’ style, means having expert witnesses being questioned and cross-examined together – firstly by the judge or arbitrators and then by the parties’ representatives themselves – and indeed even by each other! Known in polite circles as concurrent evidence, hot tubbing can be used to great effect in construction related disputes, such as those involving design and build issues, measurement disputes, delays, and financial loss.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 7th January 2013

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Judge orders cross-examination of officials over WikiLeaks documents – The Guardian

Posted July 26th, 2012 in cross-examination, Diego Garcia, disclosure, documents, news by sally

“A top judge has taken the unprecedented step of ordering two senior government officials to face cross-examination in court over a classified US document leaked by WikiLeaks. It is thought to be the first time that one of the WikiLeaks cables has featured in a UK court case.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fresh battle looms between European human rights court and UK – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 13th, 2011 in cross-examination, evidence, human rights, news, Supreme Court, witnesses by sally

“Prosecutors could be forced to stop using evidence from victims and witnesses who do not attend court in another human rights battle between Britain and Europe.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Victims giving evidence: witnesses must be cross-examined – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 23rd, 2011 in cross-examination, evidence, news, trials, victims, witnesses by sally

“This week the Times exposed a leaked report into child sexual exploitation suggesting that the way that vulnerable victims give evidence in court should be changed in an attempt to ensure more abusers and rapists are convicted. The idea is that victims in this country should be spared the ordeal of answering questions during proceedings.”

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Halbury’s Law Exchange, 22nd November 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will put domestic abuse victims at risk, law groups warn – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2011 in child abuse, cross-examination, domestic violence, legal aid, news, victims by sally

“An increasing number of victims of domestic abuse, including children, will be cross-examined in court by their alleged assailants if the government goes ahead with plans to cut legal aid, a coalition of family and children’s charities has warned.”

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The Guardian, 24th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Milly Dowler Trial – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted October 7th, 2011 in criminal procedure, cross-examination, murder, news, witnesses by sally

“The Milly Dowler trial raised a number of questions about the operation of the criminal justice system.Ali Naseem Bajwa QC argues that, despite criticisms, the trial process was a fair one.”

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Garden Court Chambers Blog, 6th October 2011

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Sex abuse victims could suffer from legal aid cuts, MPs warn – The Guardian

“Victims of sexual abuse are in danger of being cross-examined in court by their tormentors unless the government makes legal aid available in such cases, according to a report by the Commons’ justice select committee.”

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The Guardian, 14th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The defence lawyer in the Milly Dowler case performed his duty professionally – The Guardian

Posted July 4th, 2011 in advocacy, cross-examination, news, victims by sally

“Any further ‘rebalancing’ of our justice system in favour of the accused risks imperilling the right to fair trial.”

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The Guardian, 4th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dowler case prompts added protection for victims in court – The Independent

Posted July 4th, 2011 in cross-examination, news, victims by sally

“Victims of crime and their families should be protected from aggressive and disrespectful cross-examination during trial under a charter of rights for witnesses, the Government’s ‘victims’ tsar’, will recommend this week.”

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The Independent, 4th July 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dowler family cross-examination puts advocates on the spot – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2011 in advocacy, cross-examination, news, quality assurance by tracey

“The furore over the cross-examination of Milly Dowler’s parents has placed advocacy in the courts under a fierce spotlight. Putting the rights and wrongs of the Dowler case to one side, the public debate has probably come at a good time for the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG), which will shortly introduce a controversial quality assurance scheme for advocates (QASA) working in criminal law.”

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The Guardian, 1st July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke backs judge over Milly Dowler murder trial – BBC News

Posted June 29th, 2011 in cross-examination, families, murder, news, trials, victims by sally

“Kenneth Clarke has said he recognises the ‘appalling’ treatment of Milly Dowler’s family at her killer’s trial.”

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BBC News, 28th June 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawcast 185: Gary Slapper, Director Open University Law School – Charon QC

Posted June 28th, 2011 in cross-examination, legal aid, legal education, podcasts, witnesses by sally

“Today I am talking to Professor Gary Slapper, Director of the Law School at The Open University. We look at the relentless march towards privatisation in legal education, the Legal Aid reforms and briefly examine the criticism of Jeffrey Samuels QC in the Dowler case.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 28th June 2011

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Levi Bellfield defence was a charade driven by hatred, victim’s family claims – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2011 in cross-examination, defence, news, trials, witnesses by sally

“The family of one of Levi Bellfield’s murder victims has hit out at the way his defence was handled during his trial for the killing of Milly Dowler.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Dowler family’s ordeal is no case for silent witnesses – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2011 in bad character, cross-examination, media, news, trials, witnesses by sally

“The judge in Levi Bellfield’s trial could not spare Milly Dowler’s parents the trauma of giving evidence.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Milly Dowler case: Victims’ tsar to act following family’s court ordeal – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2011 in cross-examination, news, trials, victims by sally

“Britain’s courts will see sweeping changes in favour of the victims of serious crime in the light of the Milly Dowler murder trial, the victims’ commissioner has vowed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th June 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Macdonald says fair criminal trials ‘imperative’ – BBC News

Posted June 27th, 2011 in cross-examination, news, trials, victims by sally

“Defendants must be able to put their case – ‘however appalling’ – fairly before a court, ex-director of Public Prosecutions Lord Macdonald has said.”

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BBC News, 26th June 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

DPP: We will look at victim support – The Independent

Posted June 27th, 2011 in cross-examination, news, victims by sally

“The director of public prosecutions said he would examine how victims are treated in court after admitting the Milly Dowler murder case raised ‘fundamental questions’.”

Full story

The Independent, 25th June 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Related link: Vilified QC in Bellfield case ‘just doing his job’

Milly Dowler family’s court ordeal ‘appalling’ says victims czar Louise Casey – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 24th, 2011 in cross-examination, murder, news, victims, witnesses by sally

“The treatment of Milly Dowler’s family in court has been branded ‘appalling’ by the Government’s victims’commissioner, Louise Casey.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th June 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina v Miller – WLR Daily

Posted June 4th, 2010 in appeals, bad character, cross-examination, law reports, witnesses by sally

Regina v Miller [2010] EWCA Crim 1153; [2010] WLR (D) 142

“In criminal proceedings, the circumstances in which one party would be permitted pursuant to s 100(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to ask a witness a question in cross-examination with a view to eliciting an answer implicating that witness in bad behaviour, which behaviour that party would be otherwise unable to prove, were infrequent and limited in scope.”

WLR Daily, 3rd June 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

R (Al-Sweady and others) v Secretary of State for Defence (No 2) – WLR Daily

Posted October 6th, 2009 in cross-examination, disclosure, judicial review, law reports by sally

R (Al-Sweady and others) v Secretary of State for Defence (No 2) [2009] EWHC 2387 (Admin); [2009] WLR (D) 292

“In any judicial review proceedings relating to a case which involved crucial, ‘hard-edged’ questions of fact in light of which it was necessary for the court to allow cross-examination of makers of witness statements on those ‘hard-edged’ questions of fact, it was vital for full disclosure to occur to enable effective and proper cross-examination to take place. That constituted an important exception to the conventional approach in respect of disclosure in judicial review cases and the approach should be similar to that involved in an ordinary Queen’s Bench action.”

WLR Daily, 5th October 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note that once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.