Trial By Jury Could Be Abolished In Some Cases As Courts Address Backlog

Jury trials could be temporarily abolished within a matter of weeks under new legislation, according to suggestions from Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland QC. The Lord Chancellor told MPs on the justice select committee that the measure was under ‘serious consideration’ as a potential solution to address the mounting backlog in criminal cases. All jury trials […]

All Charges Under Coronavirus Act Were Unlawful

Britain’s most senior police officer has apologised after it was revealed every person prosecuted under the Coronavirus Act had been unlawfully charged. Cases against all 44 individuals charged under the new law have now been withdrawn, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). A further 12 people who were charged under the second piece of […]

CPS Told to Downgrade “Less Serious” Cases

Prosecutors in England and Wales have been advised to take the current issues resulting from the COVID-19 crisis into account when deciding whether to press charges, under new guidance issued by the Crown Prosecution Service. The new guidelines state that serious cases should be prioritised and all options should be explored for less serious offences, […]

Is it Illegal to Deny Prisoners Legal Aid?

Refusing prisoners legal aid in both England and Wales  which would enable them to question the way in which they are held could be illegal according to the Court of Appeal. The Howard League for Penal Reform and the Prisoners’ Advice Service (PAS) charities have both been given permission by senior judges to put forward […]

Claimants Could Be Out of Pocket Following the New Riot Bill

The issues raised as a result of the UK riots which took place in 2011 has resulted in the Home Office publishing a draft riot bill to deal with them, however, there are concerns raised by insurers and lawyers that suggest claimants could be left out of pocket. The Riot Compensation Bill replaces the Riot […]