On arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice last month, I was surprised to see a stern new notice at the entrance. Knuckledusters and fireworks are, among other items, no longer welcome. I blame Brexit.
The great palace of law is a sorry shadow of what it once was. The Great Hall, 70 metres long and 25 metres high, was deserted. Few courts were in operation. I saw from the daily list that some hearings were being conducted remotely.
Mrs Justice Steyn was however sitting in Court 13, presiding over a libel action brought by an actor, Noel Clarke, against Guardian News and Media Limited (I intend to comment on the case once judgment is delivered). Meanwhile, I was surprised to see two large screens displaying in legible text the paragraph in a witness statement which was the subject of cross-examination. This was a novelty
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