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24 April 2008 / John Cooper KC
Issue: 7318 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services , Procedure & practice , Profession
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Establishing the truth can take time, says John Cooper

The NLJ Column

Sometimes, the process of justice and the quest for truth is not the slick, seamless process that many would find preferable. In any fact-finding tribunal, the presentation and testing of evidence requires a disciplined, but rigorous, application, how else can a court distil the cogent and dismiss the chaff?

Neither is it controversial to state that the perception of justice is also central to the process and integral to this is open and thorough examination of the issues, for it is just as important to test a contention and find it wanting, as it is to sustain it. It is with these two fundamentals in mind, that we must consider the recent inquest into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed.

 

Causation

Critical to any inquest is the question “how” the deceased came about their death. This does not mean a simple medical inquiry into the cause of death, but involves a conscientious examination of causation.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Eversheds Sutherland—Claire Petheram

Eversheds Sutherland—Claire Petheram

Eversheds Sutherland strengthens top-ranked pensions practice with appointment of former global head of pensions

mfg Solicitors—Hannah Finnegan

mfg Solicitors—Hannah Finnegan

Law firm strengthens private client team to support continued growth

Devonshires—Andrew Cromb

Devonshires—Andrew Cromb

Devonshires expands offering with appointment of tax partner Andrew Cromb

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