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Civil way: 31 March 2023

31 March 2023 / Stephen Gold
Issue: 8019 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way , CPR
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TRIUMVIRATE READY FOR ACTION

The district bench is fed up. My straw poll suggests that any perceived benefits to the punters of the switch to online procedures is felt to be substantially outweighed by the burden of the clerical duties which new procedures are dumping onto the judges and eating into available judging time. Grappling with systems, which many judges struggle to negotiate, was not the judicial life they signed up for. There are complaints of eye strain and migraines from over exposure to computer screens. Small wonder that word on the block is that new district judge appointments arising out of the latest competition and interviews this month and expected to be made as from July 2023 will be well under requirement.

And that is not all. There is a growing feeling that HMCTS has insufficient interest in the district judges’ feedback on technology. At best, it hears but largely ignores the judges on proposed changes. In his report to the troops for last week’s annual general meeting (AGM)

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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