Former Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett is correct in saying we should be making use of all available resources - all judges, all courtrooms and all lawyers!
The Commission’s report is flawed:
It does not address why Recorders cannot fill empty Crown Court rooms
The Time Crime & Justice Commission, A report into the state of the criminal justice system
An intermediate court is now looking more likely, yet you will not see a single word by this Commission regarding Recorders. It is a shameful attack on jury trials
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Listen to the debate here on BBC Sounds:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I appeared on @bbcradio4.bsky.social - The Law Show to talk about the backlog in the criminal courts
The Magistrates’ Association propose several radical suggestions. Surely 12 members of the jury are better placed to make a decision as to innocence or guilt?
It cannot be right that legal aid lawyers are bearing the brunt of a tax caused by substantial delay. We are being forced to litigate low volume Crown Court matters for 3-4 years. The graduated fee was not created with any delay proxy in mind.
The profession should be screaming.
During the pandemic, the then Legal Aid Minister Alex Chalk brought in interim LGFS payments to allow providers to bill the fee in part. The mischief was to ease cash flow problems caused by lack of trials. Now we see trials listed in 2028. Interim billing is inadequate.
"Judges will need to take some difficult decisions" - Lord Justice Green, Senior Presiding Judge for England & Wales, 10 Oct 2024, to all Resident Crown Court judges
March 2025: Snaresbrook Crown Court are listing bail trials in November 2028
@thecriminalbar.bsky.social @thelawsociety.bsky.social
Very pleased to join the wonderful Joanna Hardy-Susskind on BBC Radio 4 in “You Do Not Have to Say Anything” - Listen on BBC Radio 4 and Radio Sounds
Whether I win or not, we are lucky to have CrimeLine and the authors this book!
I note that one proposal is the introduction of a mid-tier court that will sit between the Magistrates’ and Crown Court, restricting the use of juries.
The backlog doesn’t isn’t for lack of jurors. It exists b/c there isn’t the man/woman power.
Will they ever listen?
The Independent Review of Criminal Courts has asked for engagement from anyone who has an interest, but has only allocated 3 weeks to submit evidence!
The backlog is causing me significant difficulty. It’s also the reason I don’t have time to respond.
www.gov.uk/guidance/ind...
The Lady Chief Justice gave evidence before the Justice Committee today. Her evidence is very impressive, particularly in relation to the backlog in the criminal courts:
“You are deferring the cost and you are increasing it”
