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NLJ this week: Post Office injustice & the court of public opinion

02 February 2024
Issue: 8057 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
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Hard cases make bad law, as the saying goes, and the Post Office Horizon scandal certainly makes for a hard case

In this week’s NLJ, John Gould, senior partner, Russell-Cooke, considers the ‘legislative shortcut’ taken by Parliament in bringing forward legislation to exonerate subpostmasters convicted via the inaccurate evidence of the flawed Horizon accounting system.

He writes: ‘Governments should never use parliamentary majorities to declare judicial outcomes without a judicial process. It doesn’t matter how convinced those voting are about guilt or innocence. As a principle, this is about as old and fundamental as any of the principles supporting the rule of law.’

While everyone would want to put right the glaring injustice suffered by the subpostmasters, and while the government has emphasised this remedy is an exception, it still creates risks, Gould argues. He points out: ‘At the very least, it creates a precedent of declaring exceptions. Exceptions have a habit of accumulating.’ 

Issue: 8057 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
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NEWS
Writing in NLJ this week, Kelvin Rutledge KC of Cornerstone Barristers and Genevieve Screeche-Powell of Field Court Chambers examine the Court of Appeal’s rejection of a discrimination challenge to Tower Hamlets’ housing database
Michael Zander KC, Emeritus Professor at LSE, tracks the turbulent passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the House of Lords in this week's issue of NLJ. Two marathon debates drew contributions from nearly 200 peers, split between support, opposition and conditional approval
Alistair Mills of Landmark Chambers reflects on the Human Rights Act 1998 a quarter-century after it came into force, in this week's issue of NLJ
In his latest Civil Way column for NLJ, Stephen Gold surveys a raft of procedural changes and quirky disputes shaping civil practice. His message is clear: civil practitioners must brace for continual tweaks, unexpected contentions and rising costs in everyday litigation
Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar 2025 and joint head of chambers at 4PB, sets out in this week's NLJ how the profession will respond to Baroness Harriet Harman KC’s review into bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct at the Bar
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