Law and Rights
The latest round of court closures has been announced - Written Statement of 11th February 2016. The Ministry of Justice full response to the closure consultation is also available as well as Responses relating to each Region. The full response comments that " ... we are moving towards a justice system that must be accessible through online services as well as traditional court buildings." "Access to justice cannot be defined solely by proximity to a court or tribunal building."
The BBC published the list on Thursday 11th February and 86 will be closed out of the 91 closures proposed in the consultation document issued in October 2015 (previous post). Ten of the closures are to be in Wales. Of the 86 closures, 64 will close as proposed in the consultation. A further 22 will take place but with changes to the original proposals - (see the Regional responses for details).
The Law Society
commented that the closures will deepen inequalities in the justice system - Law Society 11th February - 'We are disappointed that the government is pressing ahead with the closure of so many courts. The majority of these closures will make it more difficult for a significant number of people to get to court, disproportionately affecting people living in rural areas, those with disabilities and lower income families. Combined with increases in court fees and reductions in eligibility for legal aid, many of the closures will serve to deepen the inequalities in the justice system between those who can and cannot afford to pay.'
The idea of "Problem-solving courts" is moving ahead with the setting up of a Working Group - see Terms of Reference. The working group will advise on the feasibility of possible pilot models for England and Wales in 2016-17. The idea behind these courts is to - (a) to achieve offender behaviour change through judicially supervised rehabilitation programmes; (b) encourage innovation in the use of judicial disposals and improve compliance with court orders; (c) deliver a swifter and more certain response to crime and reduce offending. For such a scheme in the Youth Court in the Blackburn (Lancashire) area see this November 2015 Ministry of Justice announcement.
The Economist - Smart Justice
- The Magistrates' Courts ~ Some Reflections On A Snowy Morning
A post on the Of Interest to Lawyers blog looks at the proposals by Lord Justice Briggs for reform of the civil courts - All change please! All change. (Those proposals are currently out for consultation until the end of February 2016 - previous post). ...
- Axeing The Court Estate
A very large number of court buildings will be closed across both England and Wales. Today, a consultation was issued by Ministry of Justice in conjunction with Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service and it puts a case for closure of a further...
- Courts Facing Closure: Views Of Lord Justice Goldring --- And Other Matters
On 6th September we asked ?Is ?Justice? in safe hands?? That post looked (amongst other things) at the cuts to the Magistrates? Courts: ?The previous Labour government started the hatchet job on magistrates' courts and the axe has been...
- Justice Buses Are Not The Answer To Court Closures ....
The Guardian 27th August carried an article "Justice buses are not the answer to court closures". Ideas such as "courts" sitting in shopping centres and on converted buses have been popping up recently. For many practical reasons, this is...
- Local Justice Is Getting Less Local
In recent times, the Magistrates' Courts have been equated with the term "local justice", a phrase which implies courts being reasonably near to people (who may have to attend as witnesses etc) and justice administered by people (magistrates) who...
Law and Rights
Court closures announced ~ Problem solving courts
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| Stockport Magistrates' Court (escaped)! |
The BBC published the list on Thursday 11th February and 86 will be closed out of the 91 closures proposed in the consultation document issued in October 2015 (previous post). Ten of the closures are to be in Wales. Of the 86 closures, 64 will close as proposed in the consultation. A further 22 will take place but with changes to the original proposals - (see the Regional responses for details).
The Law Society
commented that the closures will deepen inequalities in the justice system - Law Society 11th February - 'We are disappointed that the government is pressing ahead with the closure of so many courts. The majority of these closures will make it more difficult for a significant number of people to get to court, disproportionately affecting people living in rural areas, those with disabilities and lower income families. Combined with increases in court fees and reductions in eligibility for legal aid, many of the closures will serve to deepen the inequalities in the justice system between those who can and cannot afford to pay.'
The idea of "Problem-solving courts" is moving ahead with the setting up of a Working Group - see Terms of Reference. The working group will advise on the feasibility of possible pilot models for England and Wales in 2016-17. The idea behind these courts is to - (a) to achieve offender behaviour change through judicially supervised rehabilitation programmes; (b) encourage innovation in the use of judicial disposals and improve compliance with court orders; (c) deliver a swifter and more certain response to crime and reduce offending. For such a scheme in the Youth Court in the Blackburn (Lancashire) area see this November 2015 Ministry of Justice announcement.
The Economist - Smart Justice
- The Magistrates' Courts ~ Some Reflections On A Snowy Morning
A post on the Of Interest to Lawyers blog looks at the proposals by Lord Justice Briggs for reform of the civil courts - All change please! All change. (Those proposals are currently out for consultation until the end of February 2016 - previous post). ...
- Axeing The Court Estate
A very large number of court buildings will be closed across both England and Wales. Today, a consultation was issued by Ministry of Justice in conjunction with Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service and it puts a case for closure of a further...
- Courts Facing Closure: Views Of Lord Justice Goldring --- And Other Matters
On 6th September we asked ?Is ?Justice? in safe hands?? That post looked (amongst other things) at the cuts to the Magistrates? Courts: ?The previous Labour government started the hatchet job on magistrates' courts and the axe has been...
- Justice Buses Are Not The Answer To Court Closures ....
The Guardian 27th August carried an article "Justice buses are not the answer to court closures". Ideas such as "courts" sitting in shopping centres and on converted buses have been popping up recently. For many practical reasons, this is...
- Local Justice Is Getting Less Local
In recent times, the Magistrates' Courts have been equated with the term "local justice", a phrase which implies courts being reasonably near to people (who may have to attend as witnesses etc) and justice administered by people (magistrates) who...