‘Campaign group Justice has run an experimental fully remote jury trial to test whether it could be a fair alternative to face-to-face hearings during the coronavirus lockdown.’
Law Society's Gazette, 20th April 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘At the turn of the new year it would have been unthinkable to suggest that in just three months the majority of the courts in England and Wales would be closed, that is, at least in the physical sense. In the wake of Covid-19 the Courts have remained open for business however, most of that business is now being conducted in the virtual realm. From online mediations and applications to full-blown witness actions, this is a brave new world for most practitioners, particularly those in civil law, who are used to lugging paper-laden suitcases up and down the various Courts in the land.’
Falcon Chambers, 6th April 2020
Source: www.falcon-chambers.com
‘This was a review hearing for a quia timet injunction against ‘car cruising’ in areas of the Claimant local authorities before His Honour Judge Worster sitting as a High Court Judge in the QBD, Birmingham District Registry. ‘Car cruising’, or ‘street cruising’ as it is sometimes defined, is a congregation of two or more motor vehicles driving dangerously or in an anti-social way so as to cause nuisance, damage or danger to the public; usually gatherings to race or perform stunts in cars, motorbikes or quad bikes, which have been a particular problem in particular parts of Birmingham.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 3rd April 2020
Source: hardwicke.co.uk
‘It is a brave new world. The lockdown brought about by the coronavirus crisis is forcing the hand of our infamously old-fashioned profession to adapt quickly or lose myriad court dates; leaving our clients without satisfactory and timely resolutions to their disputes.’
3PB, 14th April 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
‘Snowden J gives urgently sought directions to administrators in respect of furlough arrangements with employees following a remote video hearing in the matter of Carluccio’s Limited (in administration) [2020] EWHC 886 (Ch).’
Exchange Chambers, 15th April 2020
Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk
‘A broad experience is building up among advocates with the use of remote hearings. Although many courts are still using telephone links (and for many litigants who do not have access to more sophisticated technology, this will remain the default medium) the use of video links is becoming more of a normal experience.’
St John's Chambers, 8th April 2020
Source: www.stjohnschambers.co.uk
‘The President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, has launched a two-week rapid consultation on the use of remote hearings in the family justice system.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th April 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Courts and tribunals have made “remarkable” progress in dealing with remote hearings during the coronavirus crisis, but there are concerns about the behaviour of parties, the senior judiciary has said.’
Litigation Futures, 15th April 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘As the success of remote hearings sparks discussion – with many lawyers advocating for further adoption of these options post-coronavirus – retaining an even-handed view is key. Considering what stands to be lost as well as gained, and what steps can be taken to safeguard human connection and nuance, will be crucial.’
Litigation Futures, 14th April 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘There is no question that remote hearings are a good means of ensuring the continued delivery of the decision-making element of the family justice system. It is amazing that we can do it at all and it is great that we can. But doing so in this way is at the cost of our ability properly to connect to one another, and judges like me are compromised in their ability to conduct hearings with the empathy, fairness, understanding and compassion that is rightly valued as an essential element of the Family Court. I appreciate that in order to deliver justice in the time of Covid-19 we must accept compromise. I wanted to share my experiences however, as there have been times that the extent to which I have felt constrained has been uncomfortable, and I worry about the impact on the parties, and the wider goal of delivering justice fairly. Even though huge progress has and will continue to be made in improving remote hearings, we will be working under the effects of Covid-19 for many months yet to come. I am concerned about the responsibility that will continue to fall on judges for deciding what cases are to be heard or not, and for setting the terms of reference for what constitutes a fair hearing in the time of Covid-19.’
Transparency Project, 7th April 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘A project has gone live enabling the global justice community to share experiences of developing remote alternatives to physical court hearings in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, spearheaded by Professor Richard Susskind.’
Legal Futures, 30th March 2020
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘On Tuesday 17 March 2020, less than 24 hours after the Prime Minister’s announcement to the nation to avoid all non-essential contact due to COVID-19, I attended the first entirely remote hearing for the Court of Protection. I was there in a voluntary, non-official capacity to support someone I’ll call “Sarah”, whose father was at the centre of a serious medical treatment case.’
Transparency Project, 29th March 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘A new practice direction clarifying when civil courts may derogate from the principle of open justice to conduct hearings remotely in private has been published today.’
Litigation Futures, 25th March 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘No hearings in the Court of Protection which require people to attend are to take place unless there is a genuine urgency and it is not possible to conduct a remote hearing, the Court’s Vice-President has said.’
Local Government Lawyer, 24th March 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Judges have rejected radical Ministry of Justice plans to hold full trials via remote video hearings and warned that imposing deep cuts on staff numbers will render the courts system “unworkable”.
The Guardian, 20th December 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
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