JUSTICE submitted a briefing on the Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill 2017-19 ahead of Committee Stage in the House of Lords. The Bill aims to establish an Online Procedure Rule Committee (“OPRC”), able to make Online Procedure Rules in relation to civil, tribunal and family proceedings. JUSTICE is broadly supportive of the Bill. In […]
New JUSTICE Working Party Report – Prosecuting Sexual Offences
June 10, 2019
On 10th June 2019, JUSTICE launches its latest working party report, Prosecuting Sexual Offences, chaired by HH Peter Rook QC. Recent years have seen a surge in sexual offence allegations. The uncovering of non-recent crimes, a rise in reporting, shifting cultural attitudes and the internet have all contributed to a large increase of cases entering […]
JUSTICE submits a response to the CPS consultation on Mental Health Conditions and Disorders
June 6, 2019
On 4 June 2019, JUSTICE responded to the CPS consultation on Mental Health Conditions and Disorders: Draft Legal Guidance. JUSTICE is pleased to respond to this consultation. In 2017, JUSTICE published its Mental Health and Fair Trial report, chaired by Sir David Latham. The report expressed concern about lack of appropriate guidance for prosecutors on when to […]
JUSTICE submits evidence to the Justice Committee
May 17, 2019
In March 2019, JUSTICE submitted evidence to the Justice Committee’s inquiry into the access to justice implications of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals (HMCTS) Reform Programme. Our Legal Director, Jodie Blackstock, will be speaking to JUSTICE’s evidence before the Justice Committee on the 25th of June. HMCTS embarked on a £1bn transformation programme in 2016, […]
Engagement opportunities for student members
February 14, 2019
In 2019, JUSTICE will be offering an increasing number of engagement opportunities for student members to contribute to the organisation. On a fortnightly basis, we will be inviting student members to draft case notes of interest. We will identify cases in areas of criminal, civil and administrative justice, as well as system wide reform, that […]
Administrative Justice Council (AJC) launch new website
February 5, 2019
The Administrative Justice Council has launched a new website today. This will be a be a vehicle for publicising the work of the Council, read the latest news and get to know the members of the different panels. The Administrative Justice Council (AJC) is the successor body to the Administrative Justice Forum which was abolished […]
Supreme Court rejects Strasbourg Court reasoning on the presumption of innocence
January 30, 2019
Today the Supreme Court gave judgment in two appeals, in which JUSTICE intervened, on whether the presumption of innocence is violated by the compensation scheme for people who have been wrongfully convicted of criminal offences. By a 5-2 majority the Justices concluded that the presumption of innocence is not affected by the test that the Secretary […]
New JUSTICE Working Party report ‘Understanding Courts’
January 25, 2019
On 25th January JUSTICE launched its latest working party report, Understanding Courts, chaired by Sir Nicholas Blake and supported by Allen and Overy LLP. This report seeks to place lay people at the heart of the justice system – across all courts and tribunals – so that these are places not simply where legal professionals […]
JUSTICE submits consultation response to the Ministry of Housing
January 23, 2019
JUSTICE submitted a response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Call for Evidence for a Housing Court. The consultation sought input from respondents on the experience of people using court and tribunal services in property cases, whether there was a case for a sole housing court and how the system could best […]
Consultation response on Employment Law Hearing Structures
January 14, 2019
JUSTICE recently submitted a response to the Law Commission’s consultation paper on Employment Law Hearing Structures. The consultation sought views on how to resolve the problems caused by the current allocation of jurisdiction between the employment tribunals and civil courts in the fields of discrimination and employment law, as well as investigating the current time […]