Transcript of the Lord Chief Justice’s Annual Press Conference 2011 – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted December 7th, 2011 in judiciary, speeches by sally

Transcript of the Lord Chief Justice’s Annual Press Conference 2011 (PDF)

Judiciary of England and Wales, 6th December 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Judges warned against straying into politics – by top judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 7th, 2011 in courts, judiciary, local government, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“Judges are straying too far in the world of politics and should stay within their ‘proper function’, the head of the judiciary, Lord Judge, has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government hires extra judges to tackle welfare appeal backlog – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2011 in appeals, benefits, delay, judiciary, news by sally

“Ministers have been forced to hire more than 80 new judges in a multi-million pound effort to address appeals by welfare claimants who dispute the loss of their benefits.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bratza bites back – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 25th, 2011 in human rights, judiciary, news by sally

“I had intended to entitle this post ‘Bratza goes ballistic’ which would, for reasons I will explain, have been unfair. However, as reported by guardian.co.uk, the new British president of the European Court of Human Rights has pushed back strongly against ‘vitriolic and – I am afraid to say, xenophobic – fury’ of the reaction to recent rulings by the UK government and press, which he says is ‘unprecedented in my experience, as someone who has been involved with the Convention system for over 40 years.'”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 25th November 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

First choice among equals – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2011 in diversity, equality, judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news by sally

“It’s far from clear the government’s proposed new panel will succeed in appointing more women and BAME judges.”

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clarke: Judiciary in need of modernisation and diversification – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 22nd, 2011 in consultations, diversity, judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news by sally

“Sweeping new proposals that will reform, modernise and improve the diversity of judicial appointments were announced by the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 21st November 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

More part-time judges would help diversify judiciary, says Ken Clarke – The Guardian

Posted November 22nd, 2011 in consultations, diversity, judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news by sally

“More part-timers should be put on the bench and fewer judges allowed to chair selection panels in order to improve judicial diversity, the Ministry of Justice has proposed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The strengths and skills of the Judiciary in the Magistrates’ Courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 18th, 2011 in judiciary, magistrates, reports by tracey

“This research assessed the strengths and skills of magistrates and District Judges to inform better deployment of the judiciary in magistrates’ courts.”

Full report

Ministry of Justice, 15th November 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Are professional judges better than lay magistrates? – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2011 in judiciary, magistrates, news by tracey

“A Ministry of Justice report suggests the difference is less than some imagine.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judges who jump to conclusions need ‘appraisals’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 17th, 2011 in equality, judiciary, news by tracey

“Judges need to be given ‘appraisals’ to point out where they are talking too much or jumping to conclusions, one of Britain’s top law chiefs has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

District judges ‘more custody-minded’ than lay magistrates – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 16th, 2011 in imprisonment, judiciary, news, sentencing by sally

“Custodial sentences are more likely to be given in cases heard by a district judge than lay magistrates, according to research commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. The study, published this week and carried out by Ipsos MORI, shows that district judges gave custodial sentences in 7% of cases, while lay benches used custody in 4% of cases.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th November 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK courts following European human rights rulings too strictly, warn judges – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2011 in courts, human rights, judiciary, news by sally

“UK courts are following European court of human rights rulings too strictly and should adopt a more critical approach towards Strasbourg, according to Britain’s two most senior judges.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

One of the “great unspoken problems” about human rights law – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 15th, 2011 in human rights, judicial review, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

“… is at the core of Jonathan Sumption QC’s FA Mann lecture. His central point is not human rights as such, but our misconception of Parliament and the perceived need for judicial constraints on the action of the state.”

Full story

Uk Human Rights Blog, 15th November 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Give women priority for top law jobs, urges judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 14th, 2011 in diversity, equality, judiciary, news, women by sally

“A senior judge has backed what critics regard as positive discrimination in an effort to change the domination of white men at the top of the judiciary.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jonathan Sumption shows a certain naivety – The Guardian

“The supreme court’s newest recruit worries that judges are making policy. But parliament always has the last word.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme court appointee says role of British judges is too politicised – The Guardian

“Jonathan Sumption QC believes that UK judiciary is too closely involved in making decisions best left for parliament.”

F.A. Mann Lecture, Lincoln’s Inn,  8th November 2011

Full text of lecture

The Guardian, 9th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Resistance to diversity among judges is misguided – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2011 in diversity, judiciary, news by tracey

“Lady Hale’s right, diversity is a constitutional issue but a more representative bench would make for better decisions.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Chairman Promotes Value of an Independent Judiciary – The Bar Council

Posted November 2nd, 2011 in judiciary, legal services, press releases, professional conduct by tracey

“The Chairman of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has told Bar leaders from around the world that an independent judiciary is the most important element in attracting clients to any jurisdiction.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 2nd November 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Judges to be reined in by Parliament on human rights – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 31st, 2011 in deportation, human rights, judiciary, news, proportionality by sally

“Ministers are drawing up plans to rein in ‘outrageous’ human rights rulings by judges, it can be disclosed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dominic Grieve takes on the European court of human rights – The Guardian

Posted October 28th, 2011 in attorney general, human rights, judiciary, news by tracey

“Under government plans, countries would not only implement human rights law but interpret it – and decide if they complied.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk