One of the first things Obiter does when starting a new role is find out where the kitchen is to make the coffee. After that, everything tends to fall into place.

It was encouraging to hear that the lady chief justice has more important priorities. Asked at her first press conference about creating more accessible courts, Baroness Carr gave a sneak peek into her early days on the job.

She said: ‘One of the first things I did when I was appointed was I went to the car park that you arrive at if you’re in a wheelchair, and I walked the walk to see how you could actually get in a wheelchair from that entrance.’

LadyJustice Carr DBE official portrait

Baroness Carr: 'People shouldn’t have to make a fuss. They should just be able to get there'

Source: HM Judiciary

It is possible, she said: ‘But, my goodness, it’s a wiggly way, and it’s not a lot of fun. It’s tiny lifts, lots of corridors, and a lot of fuss, and people shouldn’t have to make a fuss. They should just be able to get there.’ Money is the issue, the LCJ admitted, but it is encouraging that access is being talked about. Not having a fully accessible court infrastructure in a jurisdiction that boasts of its international standing is like Obiter without their morning coffee. Insufferable.

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