Views sought on magistrates’ courts and youth court trial rules – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 2nd, 2008 in consultations, criminal procedure, magistrates, youth courts by sally

“The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee is seeking views on a proposal to consolidate and revise the rules about trials in magistrates’ courts.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st July 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Straw sacks magistrate who criticised police – The Independent

Posted June 9th, 2008 in magistrates, news by sally

“Jack Straw was at the centre of a political row last night after he sacked a magistrate who criticised the police for failing to protect her daughter from being physically assaulted at school.”

Full story

The Independent, 8th June 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Specialist drug courts ‘working’ – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2008 in drug offences, magistrates, news by sally

“Specialist courts which deal only with drugs offenders are proving a success, the government has said.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Time intervals for criminal proceedings in magistrates’ courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 23rd, 2008 in magistrates, press releases, statistics by sally

“The latest National Statistics release on time intervals for criminal proceedings in magistrates’ courts, released by the Ministry of Justice and produced in accordance with arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.”

Full release

Ministry of Justice, 23rd May 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Revised Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines – Published 12 May 2008 – Sentencing Guidelines Council

Posted May 12th, 2008 in magistrates, press releases, sentencing by sally

“The first revised magistrates’ court sentencing guidelines in four years have today been published by the Sentencing Guidelines Council.”

Press release

Revised Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines (PDF)

Sentencing Guidelines Council, 12th May 2008

Source: www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk

Fraser v Judicial and Legal Services Commission and another – WLR Daily

Posted May 8th, 2008 in constitutional law, law reports, magistrates, Saint Lucia by sally

Fraser v Judicial and Legal Services Commission and another [2008] UKPC 25; [2008] WLR (D) 139

“A magistrate, on a fixed term appointment in Saint Lucia, enjoyed the same constitutional rights against summary dismissal as a member of the higher judiciary, regardless of any contractual term to the contrary.”

WLR Daily, 7th May 2008

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.

Lawyers fight plans for case-worker trials – The Times

Posted April 21st, 2008 in barristers, magistrates, news, rights of audience by sally

“Barristers begin an offensive today over plans to allow non-lawyers to conduct magistrates’ courts trials.”

Full story

The Times, 21st April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Views sought on proposed changes to Criminal Procedure Rules – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 7th, 2008 in consultations, criminal procedure, magistrates by sally

“The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee is asking for views on proposed changes to the rules on starting a criminal case in a magistrates’ court.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 7th April 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Magistrate jailed for 18 months for fraud – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2008 in fraud, magistrates, news, sentencing by sally

“A magistrate who told a businessman friend that he could make a court case against him ‘go away’ has been jailed for 18 months.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court staff ‘let hundreds of offenders walk free’ – The Guardian

Posted March 11th, 2008 in magistrates, news, warrants by sally

“Staff at Leeds magistrates court are facing disciplinary action for serious errors which resulted in hundreds of offenders escaping prosecution, the Ministry of Justice said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pc’s attacker is spared jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 27th, 2008 in assault, magistrates, news, sentencing by sally

“A senior police officer has criticised magistrates after they chose not to jail a man who beat up a police constable because the country’s prisons are too full.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Magistrates hit back at call to jail fewer people – The Guardian

Posted February 25th, 2008 in magistrates, news, prisons by sally

“Magistrates reacted angrily yesterday to a call from the justice secretary, Jack Straw, to send fewer people to jail to ease pressure on prison places.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrate carried out Tube scam – BBC News

Posted February 12th, 2008 in magistrates, news, theft, transport by sally

“A magistrate who carried out a £5,000 Tube ticket scam has been given a suspended sentence.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th Februrary 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Juvenile court magistrate: Our hands are tied – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 28th, 2008 in magistrates, news, young offenders by sally

“Violent crime committed by children and teenagers has gone up by a third in only three years, an investigation by The Sunday Telegraph revealed last week. Total offences climbed steadily from 184,474 in 2003 to 222,750 in 2006. Most of these are dealt with by overstretched youth courts in possession of limited sentencing powers. Patrick Sawer reports from the ‘frontline’ of youth justice, as magistrates, lawyers and officials struggle to cope with rising levels of youth crime.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th January 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

McClintock v Department of Constitutional Affairs – Times Law Reports

Posted December 5th, 2007 in harassment, law reports, magistrates, religious discrimination by sally

McClintock v Department of Constitutional Affairs

Employment Appeal Tribunal

“To allow judges to opt out of hearing cases where they disapproved of the law would be an abdication of their responsibilities.”

The Times, 5th December 2007

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. 

Time intervals for criminal proceedings in magistrates’ courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 23rd, 2007 in criminal justice, magistrates, press releases, statistics by sally

“Quarterly National Statistics release presenting results from a 1-week survey of criminal cases completed in the Magistrates’ courts. ”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 23rd November 2007

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

To deliver justice we need time, not a midwife – The Times

Posted November 13th, 2007 in legal representation, magistrates, special report by sally

“It is nine months since ‘Falconer’s Folly’ began its roll-out to all 360 magistrates’ courts in England and Wales. This scheme is more properly called ‘speedy justice’ – a system designed to hurry cases through the courts. A trial period in Thames, Camberwell, Coventry and West Cumbria proved that it did just that, according to some official statistics.”

Full story

The Times, 13th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk  

Gay couple adoption appeal lost – BBC News

Posted November 1st, 2007 in adoption, appeals, homosexuality, magistrates, news by sally

“An ex-magistrate who says he was forced to resign because he would not place children for adoption with gay couples has lost his appeal.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st October 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

JP fears assault claim hit reputation – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 31st, 2007 in defamation, magistrates, news by sally

“A leading magistrate has said he feared his reputation was in tatters after losing a legal bid to sue his daughter-in-law over allegations he assaulted her.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st October 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Christian JP refused to rule on gay adoption – The Times

Posted October 23rd, 2007 in adoption, homosexuality, magistrates, news by sally

“A Christian magistrate was forced to resign because he refused to place children for adoption with gay couples, an employment appeal tribunal was told yesterday.”

Full story

The Times, 23rd October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk