header-logo header-logo

A sign of the times...or an aberration?

07 August 2013 / Lawrence McNamara
Issue: 7572 / Categories: Opinion , Bribery , Profession
printer mail-detail

Lawrence McNamara & Celia Rooney on corruption in the UK justice system

Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer reported this month that 24% of people in the UK believe the courts and judiciary are corrupt or extremely corrupt, and that 20% of people who used the courts in 2012 said they or a household member had paid a bribe in relation to that.
 

These findings have had little attention. They even went unmentioned by the co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Anti-Corruption.
Yet, they seem remarkable. Can they really be correct? What are we to make of them?

Temperature gauge

The Barometer is derived from surveys of 1,000 people in each of 107 countries about their perception and experience of corruption in a dozen institutional categories including “Judiciary (courts)”.
 
First, perception. While 24% think the courts and judiciary are affected by corruption, this is not out of kilter with common law countries such as Australia (28%), Canada (25%), or New Zealand (20%). Still, it is up from 19% since

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

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
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
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
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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
back-to-top-scroll