Law and Rights
This morning I draw attention to an article in Modern Law Review (November 2014) - Reforming the role of Magistrates: Implications for summary justice in England and Wales
The article may be obtained (£) from the Wiley Online Library. The Library website offers the following introductory paragraph.
"The role of lay magistrates in England and Wales has been progressively undermined by protracted processes of reform over the last two decades. Current government proposals aim to reorient and ?strengthen? their function through the creation of new magisterial responsibilities such as oversight of out of court disposals and greater involvement with local justice initiatives. This article argues that while these proposals embody necessary and important areas for reform, taken in isolation they will fail to consolidate the role of magistrates in summary justice unless they are enacted alongside other measures which aim to reaffirm the status of lay justices, and which seek to reverse the trend which has prioritised administrative efficiency at the expense of lay justice. Rapidly declining magistrate numbers together with continuous (and continuing) programs of court closures are irreconcilable with the future viability of a lay magistracy."
Some of the "reforms" have included:
One suspects that, due to financial cuts, the amount of training offered to magistrates has been reduced from what it was up to around 5 years ago. If so, that is a great pity. Magistrates and, more particularly, those authorised to Chair a court ought to receive adequate training on matters such as new legislation etc. Such training is best delivered by their legal advisers.
Some earlier posts touching on Justices of the Peace are Explaining our Law and Legal System - No.5 - Magistrates (20th June 2011) and Magistrates' Courts - Sharing the Burden (11th January 2013).
See also Acudemia
- Magistrates Courts ~ Unacceptable Delays
Justice Minister Mr Damian Green is seeking to improve the performance of the Magistrates Courts - Ministry of Justice - Damian Green: unacceptable delays in Magistrates Courts. He is right to do so but, let's remember, there have been...
- A Jewel Beyond Price ... The Magistracy Of England And Wales
Kidderminster Magistrates Court2011 marks the 650th Anniversary of the Justices of the Peace Act 1361. The Office of Justice of the Peace may have originated earlier than 1361 since, as early as 1195, a proclamation was made requiring the...
- Magistrates' Courts
Magistrates' Courts deal with the bulk of criminal cases brought to court in England and Wales. The judiciary in a magistrates' court comprises the Justices of the Peace (JPs or, as they are often referred to these days, "lay magistrates")...
- 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
Reforming the role of magistrates
The article may be obtained (£) from the Wiley Online Library. The Library website offers the following introductory paragraph.
"The role of lay magistrates in England and Wales has been progressively undermined by protracted processes of reform over the last two decades. Current government proposals aim to reorient and ?strengthen? their function through the creation of new magisterial responsibilities such as oversight of out of court disposals and greater involvement with local justice initiatives. This article argues that while these proposals embody necessary and important areas for reform, taken in isolation they will fail to consolidate the role of magistrates in summary justice unless they are enacted alongside other measures which aim to reaffirm the status of lay justices, and which seek to reverse the trend which has prioritised administrative efficiency at the expense of lay justice. Rapidly declining magistrate numbers together with continuous (and continuing) programs of court closures are irreconcilable with the future viability of a lay magistracy."
Some of the "reforms" have included:
- Transfer to District Judges (Magistrates' Courts) of prison adjudication cases formerly conducted by Boards of Visitors.
- Abolition of Magistrates' Courts Committees and local "commissions of the peace" by the Courts Act 2003. Administration of the Magistrates' Courts was transferred to Her Majesty's Court Service (HMCS) and that was later merged with the Tribunal Service to form Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). The reduction in the number of courts has resulted in fewer Justices' Clerks. It is the Justice Clerk who holds the important legislative independence in terms of the legal advice given to the magistrates. Associate Clerks (or legal advisers) carry out the actual in court advise to magistrates.
- Transfer to Local Authorities of licensing functions relating to provision of alcohol and betting and gaming (Licensing Act 2003).
- Requirements for formal authorisation of magistrates before they may sit as members of the Family Court or Youth Court (see Courts Act 2003).
- A large number of local Magistrates' Court closures. The more recent closures began under the Labour Government but accelerated under the Coalition government especially during the tenure of Kenneth Clarke as Secretary of State for Justice.
- Much greater use of out of court disposals for offences - i.e. Cautions, Conditional Cautions, Fixed Penalty Notices, Penalty Notices for Disorder. This has markedly reduced the workload of many Magistrates' Courts.
- Recent years have seen much greater use of professionally qualified District Judges (Magistrates' Courts) - [prior to the Courts Act 2003 they were termed Stipendiary Magistrates and they existed, mainly, in the Magistrates' Courts of larger cities] - with a consequent knock-on effect on the type of work listed before Magistrates.
- A considerable number of powers may, by legislation, be exercised by a single justice of the peace. The Courts Act 2003 s.28 enables Rules to be made enabling such powers to be exercised, in practice, by the Justices' Clerk or legal advisers (assistant clerks). The current rules are the Justices' Clerks Rules 2005.
One suspects that, due to financial cuts, the amount of training offered to magistrates has been reduced from what it was up to around 5 years ago. If so, that is a great pity. Magistrates and, more particularly, those authorised to Chair a court ought to receive adequate training on matters such as new legislation etc. Such training is best delivered by their legal advisers.
Some earlier posts touching on Justices of the Peace are Explaining our Law and Legal System - No.5 - Magistrates (20th June 2011) and Magistrates' Courts - Sharing the Burden (11th January 2013).
See also Acudemia
- Magistrates Courts ~ Unacceptable Delays
Justice Minister Mr Damian Green is seeking to improve the performance of the Magistrates Courts - Ministry of Justice - Damian Green: unacceptable delays in Magistrates Courts. He is right to do so but, let's remember, there have been...
- A Jewel Beyond Price ... The Magistracy Of England And Wales
Kidderminster Magistrates Court2011 marks the 650th Anniversary of the Justices of the Peace Act 1361. The Office of Justice of the Peace may have originated earlier than 1361 since, as early as 1195, a proclamation was made requiring the...
- Magistrates' Courts
Magistrates' Courts deal with the bulk of criminal cases brought to court in England and Wales. The judiciary in a magistrates' court comprises the Justices of the Peace (JPs or, as they are often referred to these days, "lay magistrates")...
- 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...