A Court of Appeal judge has hit out at “salami-sliced” cuts in HM Courts and Tribunals Service, warning of a “painful loss of institutional knowledge”. Speaking at the Commonwealth magistrates’ and Judges’ Association Conference in Georgetown, Guyana, Sir Peter Gross said courts and tribunals staff numbers had reduced from 22,000 to 17,000 since 2010. The court estate had reduced from 636 buildings in 2011 to 471 in 2015. However, Sir Peter said he supported proposals for greater online delivery of justice and fewer court and tribunal buildings, as outlined in the government consultation, Transforming our Justice System . He also said he believed the reform programme was “not a cost-cutting programme” and would deliver savings through efficiencies.
29 September 2016
Court reform an “imperative”
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams
Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant
Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias
International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner
Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven
Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth
NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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