Articles tagged with: courts

20 Oct 2021 Home affairs

The government is failing in its fundamental duty to protect women and girls and uphold the law

“Traumatised, forgotten, abandoned.” These are words spoken by victims of domestic abuse, rape and serious sexual assault who are being let down by the criminal justice system - suffering in isolation, scared and often completely unaware of their rights as victims.

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30 Sep 2021 Home affairs

Crown Court backlog increases again to over 60,000 cases

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28 Sep 2021 Home affairs

Bar Council survey shows rising reports of harassment and discrimination in barristers’ profession

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20 Aug 2021 Home affairs

Bar Council warns against rising use of 'get out of jail free cards' to avoid courts

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27 Jul 2021 Home affairs

Bar Council slams "short term fix" on courts

The Bar Council has responded to new measures announced by the Government today regarding courts.

05 Jul 2021 Home affairs

Smarter sentencing is not harsher sentencing

The Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill will see people convicted of more serious offences spending a lot longer in prison, but there is no evidence to support this. Instead, government should improve education and other rehabilitative opportunities in prisons.

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24 Jun 2021 Home affairs

New figures show court backlog going the wrong way, says Bar Council

25 May 2021 Home affairs

Covid hit our over-stretched courts hard: the current system can not become the new normal

Whilst there are opportunities for new ways of working, there are also difficulties for some cases and some litigants which could affect the delivery of justice.

24 May 2021 Home affairs

Ensuring access to justice for all is essential for a functioning democracy

If the government is serious about levelling up, it must invest in key local services, of which the courts are an integral component.

20 May 2021 Home affairs

Access to justice is central to a fair society. Government must recognise the value of legal aid

Without help to navigate the justice system, many disadvantaged people will be prevented from enforcing their rights.

Why we must turn our attention to the justice emergency

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13 May 2021 Home affairs

Why we must turn our attention to the justice emergency

As the country emerges from a year of lockdowns, the criminal justice system is feeling the strain. We met up with Derek Sweeting QC, Chair of the Bar Council, to find out more about how COVID has impacted on the criminal justice system, and to discuss how justice can build back better.

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11 May 2021 Home affairs

Plans to ‘restore balance of power’ lacking evidence, say barristers

The Bar Council has issued its response to today's Queen's Speech.

29 Mar 2021 Home affairs

We cannot allow victims of crime to become victims of our justice system

It takes strength to stand up to the preparators of crime and I worry that victims will be reluctant to do so for fear of the time it will take to receive justice.

26 Mar 2021 Brexit

Britain will lose significant access to EU security data due to Brexit deal

The greatest impact on our security comes from losing access to the Schengen information System, for swapping alerts on the movement of criminals and missing persons.

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17 Feb 2021 Coronavirus

New Nightingale Courts 'a step in the right direction' say barristers

Responding to the government’s announcement of more temporary courtrooms and a first ‘super courtroom’, Chair of the Bar Council, Derek Sweeting QC said:

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17 Dec 2020 Coronavirus

Today's criminal court backlog statistics show justice system in poor health

Responding to the criminal court statistics quarterly for July to September 2020, which have been published today, Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar Council, said:

05 Dec 2020 Political parties

Repealing the Fixed-term Parliaments Act is about revenge not reform

Boris Johnson is undertaking legislative reform that looks worryingly like a consolidation of power in his own hands, rather than a thoughtful and rational reform of our electoral system and constitution.

17 Nov 2020 Coronavirus

Covid-19 has revealed fundamental weaknesses in our public services

Public service providers rapidly redesigned their services to meet the unprecedented challenges of Covid, but the public health response was hampered by over-centralised, poorly coordinated and poorly communicated policies.

26 Oct 2020 Home affairs

Tackling the backlog of court cases and speeding up justice must be the priority

There's no reason why a defendant should be deprived of the opportunity for a speedy trial before a judge and two magistrates if he/she wishes.

22 Oct 2020 Home affairs

This Tory government is letting down victims of rape and domestic abuse on all fronts

We are seeing fewer people are being prosecuted and convicted for rape than at any other time since records began, even though the reports of rape are increasing.

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08 Oct 2020 Home affairs

Latest court backlog figures: "depressing" for the British public and crime victims, says Bar Council

Responding to new government figures out today, which show the latest number of cases in the criminal courts backlog are actually increasing in the Crown Court, Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar Council, said:

03 Aug 2020 Coronavirus

Public access to courtrooms matters - justice has to be seen to be done

Keeping justice out in the open - which means letting the public see, hear and understand hearings - must remain a fundamental principle.

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31 Jul 2020 Home affairs

Bar Council responds to the Justice Select Committee's report 'Coronavirus (Covid-19): The impact on courts'

It is essential that investment in robust, high-quality technology and in the wider justice system, is addressed with the urgency it needs.

11 Jun 2020 Health

Disabled people being 'failed' by criminal justice system, equality watchdog warns

Disabled people facing trial are being "failed" by the criminal justice system, the UK's equality watchdog has warned.