Keep new police commissioners at arm’s length, magistrates warned – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in codes of practice, judges, judiciary, magistrates, news, police by sally

“A senior judge has warned magistrates to maintain their distance from police and crime commissioners (PCCs), in the latest demonstration of unease about the recently elected new posts.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v Bateman; Regina v Doyle: [2012] EWCA Crim 2158; [2012] WLR (D) 355 – WLR Daily

Posted November 30th, 2012 in committals, Crown Court, law reports, magistrates, sentencing by tracey

Regina v Bateman; Regina v Doyle: [2012] EWCA Crim 2158;   [2012] WLR (D)  355

“Where an offender was committed to the Crown Court by the magistrates’ court under paragraph 11(2)(a) of Schedule 12 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to be dealt with in respect of the commission of an offence committed during the operational period of a suspended sentence imposed by the Crown Court, the Crown Court’s sentencing powers in relation to other offences in respect of which the offender was committed under section 6(2) of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 were limited by section 7(1) of the 2000 Act to those of the magistrates’ court.”

WLR Daily, 27th November 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

More criminals to escape courts under new police commissioners, magistrates warn – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 19th, 2012 in budgets, cautions, courts, fines, magistrates, news, police by sally

“More offenders will be ‘let off’ with cautions and fines following the introduction of police and crime commissioners, magistrates fear.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th November 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police play judge and jury in too many cases, say magistrates – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 7th, 2012 in cautions, courts, fines, magistrates, news, police, victims by sally

“Police have become judge and jury dispensing inappropriate summary justice on the streets, the country’s leading magistrates have warned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th November 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Flexible courts to open in dozens of areas – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 11th, 2012 in courts, criminal justice, magistrates, news, pilot schemes by sally

“Thousands more people will benefit from flexible courts, Criminal Justice Minister Damian Green said today as he unveiled a list of dozens of new pilot areas.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 11th October 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

‘Swift justice’ pilot schemes unveiled – BBC News

Posted October 11th, 2012 in courts, criminal justice, magistrates, news, pilot schemes by sally

“A substantial increase in the number of flexible criminal justice pilot schemes across England and Wales is to be announced by the government.”

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BBC News, 11th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines updated – Sentencing Council

Posted October 3rd, 2012 in magistrates, news, sentencing by sally

“The Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines which includes Update 9 (the update on the Victim Surcharge) are now available to download.”

Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines (PDF)

Sentencing Council, 1st October 2012

Source: www.sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Weekend court plans in ‘chaos’ – LegalVoice

“Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to pilot Sunday magistrates’ courts have been hit by a technical hitch after prisons said they could not accept new prisoners on that day, writes Elizabeth Davidson. However, its pilot of full-day Saturday courts is still on schedule to begin in the Manchester area this weekend, despite vocal opposition from local criminal lawyers, some of whom claim taking part could leave them vulnerable to expensive employment tribunal claims.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 27th September 2012

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Former Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson visits British court – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 17th, 2012 in courts, magistrates, news, police by sally

“Sir Paul Stephenson, Britain’s former top policeman, spends a day at a magistrates’ court, and is shocked by what he finds.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Our creaking courts: a day inside Westminister Magistrate’s

Olympic fast-track courts have dealt with more than 80 cases – The Guardian

Posted August 29th, 2012 in criminal justice, magistrates, news, sport by tracey

“Fast-track courts have dealt with more than 80 ‘Olympic crimes’ so far during the course of the 2012 Games, the Ministry of Justice has revealed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th Auguest 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Media Protection Services Ltd v Crawford and another – WLR Daily

Posted August 24th, 2012 in company directors, copyright, informations, law reports, magistrates, solicitors by sally

Media Protection Services Ltd v Crawford and another [2012] EWHC 2373 (Admin); [2012] WLR (D) 250

“The laying of an information by a director of a private limited company, acting for reward on behalf of a client in the course of its business, constituted acting as a solicitor within the meaning and in breach of section 20 of the Solicitors Act 1974 and carrying on a reserved legal activity, namely the conduct of litigation, contrary to the Legal Services Act 2007, with the result that the proceedings were void.”

WLR Daily, 16th August 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Judiciary silenced out of court – The Guardian

Posted August 15th, 2012 in internet, judiciary, legal profession, magistrates, news by sally

“Judges and magistrates have been banned from blogging about their jobs. This is not helpful.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrates can stand for police commissioner roles after judge’s U-turn – The Guardian

Posted August 13th, 2012 in criminal records, judges, magistrates, news, police by sally

“The senior judge who banned magistrates from standing as candidates in November’s police commissioner elections has backed down and said they need not resign as JPs unless they are elected.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrates banned from standing in police commissioner elections – The Guardian

Posted August 9th, 2012 in elections, judiciary, magistrates, news, police by sally

“Plans for the first police commissioner elections this autumn have been thrown into fresh disarray with the disclosure that magistrates – who make up a significant number of the candidates – have been banned from standing.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government outlines plans for fast-track justice – The Guardian

“‘Flash incarceration’ of offenders who breach court orders, widespread naming online of those convicted, more witnesses giving evidence via videolink and Sunday court sittings are among measures outlined in government plans to speed up justice.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Swift justice’ could resolve court cases within hours – The Guardian

Posted July 13th, 2012 in criminal justice, delay, magistrates, news by sally

“Criminal cases could be dealt with in days or even hours under plans to bring in “swift and sure justice”, ministers will say on Friday.”

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The Guardian, 13th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clarke opens Westminster’s new magistrates’ court – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 25th, 2012 in courts, magistrates, news by sally

“Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke officially opened a new state of the art Magistrates’ Court in London today (21 June).”

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Ministry of Justice, 21st June 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Potential removal of magistrate fine caps could have “significant” impact on environmental offenders – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 14th, 2012 in environmental protection, fines, magistrates, news by sally

“The Government’s new powers to remove the cap on the level of fines that can be issued by magistrates’ courts in England and Wales could lead to ‘very significant’ future penalties for environmental offences, an expert has warned.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 14th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Magistrates to sit in community centres in plan to speed up justice – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 8th, 2012 in courts, guilty pleas, magistrates, news, summary judgments by sally

“Ministers are to announce plans to allow magistrates to sit on their own in community centres or police stations in a bid to speed up justice.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Magistrates should use online crime maps ahead of sentencing – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 8th, 2012 in compensation, internet, magistrates, news, reports, sentencing by sally

“Magistrates say they should be able to use new online crime maps to give tougher sentences for offenders who are blighting a neighbourhood.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk