Thursday, 24 September 2020 10:30
Outstanding cases
Combined outstanding cases in the magistrates and Crown courts surged 500,000 over the summer, new figures show, but there are signs that the system is slowing starting to perform better.
Wednesday, 23 September 2020 13:07
New nightingale court venues
An arts centre and two hotels are the latest venues to be turned into Nightingale courts to help ease pressure on the justice system, the Ministry of Justice has announced today. The Lowry Theatre in Salford, Jury’s Inn Middlesbrough and the Hilton Hotel in York will begin hearing non-custodial crime cases, as well as civil, family and tribunals work, from next week. Another five venues – in Chester, Liverpool, Bristol, Winchester and Cirencester – will be confirmed in the next few weeks.
Monday, 21 September 2020 10:17
Nightingale court closure
The Ministry of Justice has already closed one of the 10 Nightingale courts set up to ease pressure on the justice system as a result of the coronavirus.
Monday, 21 September 2020 10:10
Smarter sentencing?.......
The lord chancellor has promised a 'fundamental shift’ in the government’s approach to sentencing, which includes longer time in prison for violent and sexual offenders but also rehabilitation measures such as problem-solving courts.
Monday, 21 September 2020 09:42
Magistrate figures
Magistrate numbers are worse than was previously thought after an HR error resulted in a total being overstated by as much as 1,000. Judicial diversity data published by the Ministry of Justice yesterday shows there are 13,177 magistrates in England and Wales. In April 2008, there were 29,419 magistrates.
Friday, 11 September 2020 14:30
Judge under pressure
A Judge who has attacked the Ministry of Justice’s slow response to the coronavirus crisis has alleged that he was put under 'improper and undue pressure' by senior judges to decide a case.
Thursday, 10 September 2020 10:51
Cannabis card
Police chiefs are backing a new “cannabis card” that will provide de-facto decriminalisation of the drug for millions of people with health conditions.
Wednesday, 09 September 2020 13:14
Judge blasts MOJ
A Crown court judge has accused the government of 'systemic failure' for not conducting trials in a reasonable time. Judge Keith Raynor, at Woolwich Crown Court, refused to further extend the custody time limit for a teenager who had been held in prison waiting for his trial for 321 days.
Wednesday, 09 September 2020 10:06
Time on remand
Defendants could be locked up for longer to tackle jury trial delays caused by the pandemic as the government unveiled an £80m recovery plan for the criminal courts.
Tuesday, 08 September 2020 10:49
Longer remand periods
Defendants could be locked up for longer to tackle jury trial delays caused by the pandemic as the government unveiled an £80m recovery plan for the criminal courts.
Wednesday, 02 September 2020 10:45
Loud mouth lawyers
The Home Office has deleted its tweet claiming that ‘activist lawyers’ were undermining the deportation of migrants – but the clash between government and the legal profession shows no signs of easing.
Monday, 24 August 2020 09:54
New offences
A new criminal offence for people organising or facilitating unlawful gatherings will come into force on Friday 28th August 2020.
Tuesday, 18 August 2020 18:32
Nightingale courts
The Law Society has once again urged the government to avoid extending court hours to reduce the justice backlog after four more Nightingale courts opened this week.
