Crown court backlogs
BBC, Yahoo! Australia and Yahoo! Canada cover the impact of unprecedented Crown court backlogs across the South East region.
President Nick Emmerson said: "In the Southeast there are over 13,000 cases waiting to be heard, where victims are being denied the justice, they deserve.
“The system is already overloaded with backlogs that existed before the pandemic, during and after so dealing with those backlogs is absolutely key."
BBC Radio Kent (from 3:12:25) and BBC Radio Sussex spoke to Vice President Richard Atkinson about rising Crown court backlogs in Kent.
Vice President Richard Atkinson said: “ We obviously have the attraction of London as a major source of employment, and criminal law from prosecutors, from court staff and from defence lawyers has been overlooked for decades, and the funding crisis that befallen the system has seen a mass exodus of people who've undertaken that work.”
Family court reporting
Today’s Family Lawyer reports that court reporting has been extended to enable accredited media and legal bloggers to report on private family law court cases.
President Nick Emmerson said: “Transparency and open justice are important to help the public understand how the law works and how decisions are made. They can raise awareness of what the rule of law and access to justice mean and why they are important.
“Transparency in the family courts also shines a light on how the courts work for ordinary people and the decisions they can and cannot make for families. Provided it is done in a sensitive manner and the identities of vulnerable parties are protected, reporting these cases is a valuable tool in informing the public.
“We are pleased that both private and public family law courts are in the pilot, meaning that cases between couples as well as those concerning state intervention in the safety and wellbeing of children, can be reported. More people will be aware of the complexities facing some families in the courts.
Open reporting is one important step to improving our family courts – which still have severe backlogs – and we hope it will help further public understanding of these challenges.”
Prison crisis
New Law Journal reports on the Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood and her plans for early release of thousands of prisoners.
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said the Lord Chancellor had “acted pragmatically and decisively to tackle a prisons crisis she inherited.”
“Just one of many connected problems in the criminal justice system following decades of underfunding’ and called for ‘a more fundamental review of solutions.”
Property form consultation
New Law Journal reports on the consultation being launched for the TA6 property form.
Law Society chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “We want to hear from conveyancers who have used the forms and also those who haven’t and understand why they haven’t.”
King’s speech
Gazette publishes an opinion piece by Jonathan Goldsmith, chair of our Policy & Regulatory Affairs Committee, as he writes about what to expect in today’s King’s speech.
Path to qualification
Gazette reports on the path to qualification with a small firm and mentions our recommended minimum salary for qualifying solicitors.
Also worth a read:
- Rishi Sunak ‘risked breaching legal responsibilities over prison crisis’ – Guardian
- We are public sector workers – this is how more cuts would wreck our NHS, courts, councils and universities – Guardian
- The prison dilemma: why Labour may find it so hard to solve – Financial Times (£)
- Foreign inmates will be sent home to ease prisons crisis – Telegraph (£)
- Starmer’s Brexit reset could see UK and EU working closer on security and trade - inews (£)
- Feltham Young Offenders Institution now the most violent prison in the country, chief inspector warns – Independent
- Mandatory housing targets at core of economy-focused king’s speech – Guardian