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The NLJ Column

13 September 2007 / John Cooper KC
Issue: 7288 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Swift justice, although desirable, is not always the best course

Concerns have been expressed about the lack of judges available to sit in the Crown court. As a result of this shortfall, cases are being delayed as the backlog continues to grow. Whatever the reason for this shortage of judiciary, the ramifications are stark: accused people are left in a state of debilitating uncertainty as they await trial; and witnesses—be they for the prosecution or defence—face a continual and eroding pressure on their memory and recollection which can only partially be dealt with by reference to their written statements.

But the delay in bringing a case to court, with all its inherent dangers, is not a new problem. It has been prevalent in the coroner’s court for decades.

CORONIAL JUSTICE

Often, and unfairly, seen as the ugly sister to the more glamorous Crown court, coronial justice has been starved of funding and the will to reform for years. Only now, Harriet Harman promises us a new Bill to overhaul the inquest system—and not

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve reports on Haynes v Thomson, the first judicial application of the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland ruling in a discrimination claim, in this week's NLJ
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
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