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Article Subject: Lawyer
Does the defendant in the magistrates’ court get a fair hearing?
The Bellamy review of criminal legal aid doesn’t pull its punches. It paints a picture… Read more
Not remotely fair? Access to a lawyer in the police station during the Covid-19 pandemic
Transform Justice, Fair Trials and the NAAN (the National Appropriate Adult Network) have published a… Read more
What is the future for legally aided criminal defence?
How do we manage a criminal defence service in an age of austerity and Covid?… Read more
Are video links causing the criminal justice system to slow down?
Recently Boris Johnson described zoom calls as a miracle, but that sometimes there is “no… Read more
Unnecessary arrest and detention?
A lot of policy and guidance is never followed, nor its ignoring challenged. During the… Read more
The secret room – who is listening to what in digital courts?
When lawyers have previously expressed their concerns about the confidentiality of video links, I’ve not… Read more
Jail or bail? We can learn from the USA
People who follow this blog know that I am slightly obsessed by the difference between… Read more
Not the “awkward squad”: unrepresented defendants in the Crown Court
In 2015 when I was trying (with difficulty) to do research on unrepresented defendants in… Read more
We need to talk about Keres & Co
“Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken” is a great book. It sets out… Read more
And get me to the court, get me to the court, for Gawd’s sake, get me to the court on time
FTA is the bane of a police officer’s life. If a defendant doesn’t turn up… Read more
Ethnic minority defendants have very little faith in the criminal justice system
‘It was me against them. Coming from an Asian Muslim background, I didn’t see anyone… Read more
Why don’t prosecutors pick up the phone to defence advocates?
“The system is overstretched and disjointed. About two-thirds of Crown Court trials are delayed or do… Read more
Justice Denied? Unrepresented defendants in the criminal courts
Transform Justice has published new research on the experience of unrepresented defendants in the criminal… Read more
Unrepresented defendants in the courts : a travesty of justice?
Unfortunately we don’t have equality of arms when it comes to unrepresented defendants. After a… Read more
Standing alone – the experience of unrepresented litigants
“Jarndyce and Jarndyce drones on. This scarecrow of a suit has, in the course of… Read more
Are legal fees topsy turvy?
This week a car driver was acquitted of the charge of dangerous driving. A common… Read more
Do children in criminal courts get the defence they need?
The Youth Court is a hidden world, where most child crime cases are heard. The… Read more
Should the justice system financially penalise the innocent?
“If someone is dragged through the courts through no fault of their own and is… Read more
What impact would a lawyers’ “strike” have?
It seems clear that a lawyers’ “strike” may be imminent in England and Wales. Defence… Read more
A new injustice: lack of legal advice for those who breach anti-social behaviour injunctions
There was concern when the government proposed that the new anti-social behaviour orders should be… Read more
Eviction, damp, harassment – housing problems cause misery but legal help is in short supply
The reality of how people get evicted comes alive in a series of brilliant blogs… Read more
Lord Neuberger advocates that justice should be “the best we can do”
The President of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger gave a very human speech the other… Read more
Panorama on litigants in person
Is the only answer to the squeeze on legal aid to find more funding for… Read more
A fog surrounding unrepresented defendants in the criminal courts
The civil courts are bring thrown into chaos by the number of litigants in person… Read more
Working to upskill lawyers who defend children…a shining light in the US youth justice system
The National Juvenile Defender Center is a brilliant idea – an NGO which campaigns for and… Read more
a piecemeal approach to the fall out from cutting legal aid?
The number of people involved in court or tribunal cases who don’t have a lawyer… Read more
Unrepresented defendants in the criminal court: a ticking timebomb?
“Just watched as court sent unrep’d def to prison. He didnt say a word through… Read more
are the courts prepared for no lawyers?
There have been hundreds of people appearing in courts without a lawyer for a long… Read more
Does the Secretary of State for Justice need to be a lawyer?
Chris Grayling is the first Lord Chancellor not to be a lawyer (I think). Previously… Read more