Murder trial resumes with counsel and jury swapping seats – Legal Futures

‘A jury trial resumed at the Old Bailey yesterday, with barristers in the jury and press boxes, and jurors socially distancing in counsel’s rows after being told there were no face masks for them.’

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Legal Futures, 12th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Old Bailey jury trials to resume this week – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 11th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, Crown Court, juries, news, trials by sally

‘Two jury trials will resume at the Old Bailey this week as first steps toward Crown court cases restarting around the country. However, the criminal bar warned that a resumption of normal service “remains many weeks off”.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th May 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Coronavirus: Courts must resume to deal with ‘backlog of cases’ – BBC News

‘Victims are being left in “distressing limbo” due to a growing backlog of cases during the coronavirus pandemic, a top Cardiff barrister has warned.’

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BBC News, 3rd May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coronavirus: Jury trials face ‘biggest change since WW2’ – BBC News

‘Coronavirus could prompt the biggest changes to jury trials since World War Two, the head of judiciary in England and Wales has told the BBC.’

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BBC News, 30th April 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Non-jury trials could help clear coronavirus backlog, says QC – The Guardian

Posted April 27th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, juries, news, trials by sally

‘Defendants should be allowed to opt for trial by judge rather than in front of a jury, a prominent human rights lawyer has proposed, as a means of partially restarting the criminal justice system.’

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The Guardian, 26th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judiciary sets up working party to bring back jury trials – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, judiciary, juries, news, trials by sally

‘The prospect of jury trials restarting has come closer with news that the judiciary has set up a working party to consider how they can be brought back as soon as it is safe to do so. The news comes shortly after lord chancellor Robert Buckland said he wanted jury trials back up and running as quickly as possible.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th April 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

East Finchley shooting: Man to face fifth trial over same murder charges – BBC News

Posted April 23rd, 2020 in murder, news, trials by sally

‘An Old Bailey judge has ruled that a man can go on trial on the same murder charges for a fifth time.’

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BBC News, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Justice in the time of Coronavirus”: Considering Diplock Courts and Majority Verdicts in light of COVID-19 – Thomas More Chambers

Posted April 20th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, courts, juries, news, trials by sally

‘The coronavirus (COVID-19) and the government “lockdown” has bought about interesting times and the Coronavirus Act 20201, in particular ss.53-57 (with Schedules 23-27).’

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Thomas More Chambers, 15th April 2020

Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk

Fully remote jury test a ‘success for open justice’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 20th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, juries, live link evidence, news, remote hearings, trials by tracey

‘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.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 20th April 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

COVID-19 and remote trials – 4 New Square

Posted April 17th, 2020 in chambers articles, coronavirus, courts, live link evidence, news, trials by sally

‘The first judgment has now been reported on the effect of COVID-19 on a forthcoming trial. In Re One Blackfriars Ltd, Hyde v. Nygate [2020] EWHC 845(Ch), John Kimbell QC, sitting as a Deputy High Court judge, refused to adjourn a trial due to start in June but ruled that it should proceed remotely by video-link.’

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4 New Square, 14th April 2020

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Judges cannot be expected to undertake their full list remotely: senior members of judiciary warn – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 16th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, judges, judiciary, live link evidence, news, trials by sally

‘All judges and leadership judges need to recognise that doing as much as possible remotely “does not mean, and cannot mean, trying to do everything remotely”, there senior members of the judiciary have warned.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The impact of Coronavirus, part 1: trial by jury during a pandemic – 6KBW College Hill

‘Covid 19: the current situation is so fast moving that anything written will almost inevitably be out of date by the time it is typed. However, following the effective “lock down” from 8.30pm on 23 March 2020 it may be that there are fewer further changes until restrictions can be eased, and it is useful to reflect on the effect so far.’

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6KBW College Hill, 30th March 2020

Source: blog.6kbw.com

Lord Chancellor praises lawyers’ “heroic” efforts – Legal Futures

‘The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland yesterday praised lawyers for their “heroic efforts” in trying to keep trials going during the coronavirus pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jurors packed into crowded courts: how the government defied coronavirus advice – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, juries, news, trials by sally

‘Trials may now be suspended in England, but forcing people to mix in cramped rooms during a coronavirus crisis was risky at best.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government identifies justice system’s keyworkers – Legal Futures

‘Legal professionals involved in court and tribunal hearings, as well as those advising people deprived of their liberty or on executing wills are ‘keyworkers’, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Self-isolating litigant in person appears via barrister’s mobile – Litigation Futures

‘A barrister has spoken of how a self-isolating defendant in a fast-track personal injury claim appeared before the court via WhatsApp video.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Jury trials on hold in England and Wales due to coronavirus fears – The Guardian

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, delay, health, health & safety, juries, live link evidence, news, trials by sally

‘All jury trials in England and Wales are being temporarily suspended because of the risk of spreading coronavirus infections, the lord chief justice has announced.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus: Jury trials, message from the Lord Chief Justice – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, juries, news, trials by sally

‘The impact of the public health emergency on the operation of the courts has been under constant review. In all jurisdictions steps are being taken to enable as many hearings as possible to be conducted with some or all of the participants attending by telephone, video-link or online. Many court hearings will be able to continue as normal with appropriate precautions being taken. We must make every effort to maintain a functioning court system in support of the administration of justice and rule of law.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th March 2020

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Lawyers and women’s rights charities call for family court judge’s cases to be reviewed – Local Government Lawyer

‘Over 130 family lawyers and women’s rights groups have called for Judge Tolson’s continuing cases to be reviewed, following Justice Russell’s condemnation of the family court judge’s treatment of an allegation of sexual assault in a child protection fact-finding trial last month.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Extended pilot of fully video hearings made opt-out – Legal Futures

Posted February 21st, 2020 in civil procedure rules, live link evidence, news, pilot schemes, trials by sally

‘A pilot of fully video hearings in the civil courts is to be extended and turned from opt-in to opt-out, the Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) has decided.’

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Legal Futures, 21st February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk