‘Extending the amount of time unconvicted defendants can await trial in prison will have a disproportionate impact on people who are black, Asian or from other ethnic minorities, according to official advice handed to ministers.’
The Guardian, 16th October 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘There are many barristers who like to imagine they could have succeeded on the stage, hamming it up in their wigs and gowns and addressing the jury like Laurence Olivier doing Richard III.’
The Guardian, 23rd September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘ “Paul” was accused of committing a domestic burglary in June 2018. In early 2019 he was told by police that no further action would be taken against him. However, he was subsequently charged. Last week – over two years since the alleged offence – he appeared at Inner London Crown Court.’
BBC News, 17th September 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Sexual and violent offenders will serve at least two-thirds of jail terms, rather than half, as part of changes to the criminal justice system in England and Wales.’
BBC News, 16th September 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A crown court judge has refused to extend the custody time limit for keeping a man in prison awaiting trial and accused the government of under-funding the criminal justice system during the pandemic.’
The Guardian, 8th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Court of Appeal has rejected a case in which two men argued that a Crown Court judge miscalculated confiscation orders made following a prosecution by the Environment Agency.’
Local Government Lawyer, 27th August 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The Claimant was due to have his 4 day trial commence in Leeds Crown Court on 27th April 2020. On 23rd March the Lord Chief Justice pronounced that no new trials would commence until further notice. This was categorised during the claim as a “listing decision”; one that affected every single criminal case in the jurisdiction that was pending trial before the Crown Court. The application to extend the Claimant’s CTL was made the same day the decision was made on the recent pro-forma application which states that each application is “made due to the current public health crisis”. The application was heard on what would have been the first day of trial and in a written judgement of the Claimant’s CTL was extended. These applications have been made up and down the country on the same basis and so the claim was of wide public importance.’
Exchange Chambers, 23rd July 2020
Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk
‘Plans for non-jury trials to speed up efforts to tackle a backlog of more than 40,000 crown court cases appear to have been sidelined as the Ministry of Justice opts instead for extended opening hours, emergency “Nightingale” courts and, possibly, smaller juries.’
The Guardian, 2nd July 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Less serious crimes should be tried in crown courts before a judge without a jury in order to tackle the thousands of cases building up during the pandemic crisis, judges have suggested.’
The Guardian, 16th June 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘For years, prosecutors and defenders have acted in the confident knowledge that obtaining certain types of important electronic evidence from overseas in time for use at trial has been very difficult. That may now change: the Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act 2019 (“the Act”) received the Royal Assent on 12 February 2019. The provisions of the Act came into force on 9 October 2019.’
6KBW College Hill, 25th May 2020
Source: blog.6kbw.com
‘Jury trials will resume under physical distancing restrictions in a limited number of crown courts in England and Wales from 18 May, the lord chief justice has announced.’
The Guardian, 11th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Two jury trials will resume at the Old Bailey this week as first steps toward Crown court cases restarting around the country. However, the criminal bar warned that a resumption of normal service “remains many weeks off”.’
Law Society's Gazette, 10th May 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘On 25 March 2020, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (‘the 2020 Act’) was given Royal Assent. Most of its provisions came into force immediately (s. 87). Almost all of them will expire within two years (s. 89). As an additional safeguard, Parliament is required to conduct a review of the legislation every six months (s. 98). The 2020 Act has, at least for the time being, radically changed the appearance of proceedings in the Crown Court: there will now be hearings where neither the parties nor the judge will actually be in court at all.’
6KBW College Hill, 2nd April 2020
Source: blog.6kbw.com
‘The number of outstanding crown court cases in England and Wales has reached the highest level for two years, figures show, amid growing concerns about pressures on the criminal justice system caused by the Covid-19 crisis.’
The Guardian, 26th March 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A quarter of crown court trials will be disrupted due to restrictions unveiled overnight by the most senior judge in England and Wales to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the justice secretary has said.’
The Guardian, 18th March 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘When we think of televised court proceedings our minds instantly turn to the catchy maxim – ‘if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit’. Johnnie Cochran’s words, spoken during the defence team’s closing argument of OJ Simpson’s trial, came to embody a sensational trial which was televised over 134 days. And who can forget the footage of OJ, putting on the black gloves and showing his hands to the judge and jury? Then we fast forward to 2016, and the world watched as Oscar Pistorius – Paralympic champion and breaker of glass ceilings – walked across the courtroom on his stumps at his resentencing hearing for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.’
KCH Garden Sq, 29th January 2020
Source: kchgardensquare.co.uk
‘The Crown court faces a growing backlog of work, as the number of criminal cases reaching court rises but the number of disposals falls.’
Law Society's Gazette, 16th December 2019
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Joshua Rozenberg from BBC Radio 4 spoke with Maidstone Bench Chair Gill Fryzer and John Bache from the Magistrates Association for his Law in Action programme.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 7th November 2019
Source: www.judiciary.ukwww.judiciary.ukwww.judiciary.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2020