‘Judges, magistrates and coroners will be allowed to work up until the age of 75, the government announced today. The current standard mandatory retirement age of 70 dates from 1993. The Ministry of Justice said the change seeks to address the fact that people now work later into their lives and the government did not want to lose valued members of the judiciary.’
Law Society's Gazette, 8th March 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Judges are a bit happier in their jobs than they were five years ago but feel seriously undervalued by the government, the latest judicial attitude survey has revealed.’
Litigation Futures, 1st March 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘The role of politicians in appointing senior judges should be beefed up, although with the limitation that the Lord Chancellor should choose from shortlist of independently vetted candidates, according to a think tank.’
Litigation Futures, 11th February 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘Following the end of the UK’s transition period for withdrawing from the EU, the status of earlier case law on retained EU law is somewhat complicated. Section 6(3) and (4)(a) and (b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, provides that the Supreme Court and in criminal matters the High Court of Justiciary are not to be bound by any retained EU case law, but other courts and tribunals are to determine issues of retained EU law in accordance with retained EU case law. In relation to certain aspects of competition law, section 60A(7) of the Competition Act 1998, inserted by reg. 23 of the Competition (Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, SI 93 of 2019, provides that any court or tribunal, the Competition and Markets Authority, and anyone acting on behalf of the Authority, may depart from retained EU case law. In addition, section 6(5A) of the 2018 Act allows regulations to be made to designate other courts and tribunals as “relevant courts” or “relevant tribunals” which, by virtue of section 6(4)(ba), are not to be bound by retained EU case law to the extent specified in the regulations.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 11th January 2021
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘Judges and magistrates are to be given explicit reminders for the first time in sentencing guidelines of the disparity in punishments being imposed by the courts on white, Asian and black offenders.’
The Guardian, 9th December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Former Court of Appeal judge Sir Peter Gross has been appointed to lead an independent review of the Human Rights Act.’
BBC News, 7th December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Fresh from inaugurating its Independent Review of Administrative Law, this government is still not finished with the judiciary, at least according to recent policy proposals leaked to the Sunday Telegraph. Downing Street has also turned its eye onto the Supreme Court and its structure and composition.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 1st December 2020
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
‘Lord Chief Justice press conference December 2020’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 2nd December 2020
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘The Lord Chief Justice has warned of unprecedented levels of political interference over the work of courts in England and Wales, suggesting that MPs should be taught about “boundaries”.’
The Independent, 2nd December 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Speech by the Chancellor of the High Court to Harvard Law School: Online courts – Perspectives from the Bench and the Bar.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 25th November 2020
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘Zealots bent on upsetting the constitutional applecart or the only friends we have? And what is the alternative? Thomas Grant QC takes a look at the Independent Review of Administrative Law, its context and the charges against the senior judiciary.’
Counsel, November 2020
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
‘Hearings in the family courts of England and Wales are almost unrecognisable today to the hearings that took place prior to the outbreak of Covid-19. On 23 March 2020, it was announced that a nationwide lockdown was to begin the following day and last indefinitely. Between 23 March and 6 April, video hearings increased by 340% across courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Audio hearings increased by over 500%. Today, remote and hybrid (where some people attend in person and some via a telephone or video link) hearings have become commonplace. Even final hearings are now being conducted remotely. The transition to remote and hybrid hearings has helped to mitigate the delay before cases are heard. It helping to minimise an increasing backlog of cases. Telephone and video hearings have their benefits for parents, children and professionals alike, which might even see remote hearings continue in use in some cases beyond the pandemic. However, remote hearings come at a cost, as two consultations by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) demonstrate.’
Transparency Project, 13th November 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘Progress towards gender diversity on the UK’s highest court is in danger of being thrown into reverse, following the announcement that another female justice will retire shortly.’
The Guardian, 8th November 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy has been published today (Thursday 5 November). It sets out the ambition, aim and objectives for the judiciary over the next five years.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 5th November 2020
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
‘It helped thousands of students across the country to have “discriminatory” computer-calculated exam grades scrapped this summer. It enabled health workers on the Covid frontlines to challenge the government over personal protective equipment shortages. It helped Gurkha veterans, who have been part of the British Army for centuries, challenge a policy which denied them settlement in the UK. And it kept a “dangerous” rapist behind bars.’
Each Other, 16th October 2020
Source: eachother.org.uk
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