The Law Society Gazette, 4 June 2004

Talks fail to defuse barristers’ pay row

Unofficial strikes by criminal barristers look set to continue as talks stalled last week between the Bar Council and the Department for Constitutional Affairs over barristers’ pay for very high-cost criminal cases. The ongoing dispute means that four very high-cost cases currently scheduled to be heard in June do not have defence counsel.

8 June 1994

Justice for the people?

Another step has been taken along the road towards proactive judging in pre-trial litigation. Lord Woolf has unveiled plans ‘to make justice speedier and more affordable for ordinary people’.

Building on the work already done by the 1993 Heilbron committee, the 1988 civil justice review and in the official referees’ and commercial courts, these plans include the creation of procedural judges who will simplify civil actions, transfer control from the parties to the courts and lay down a timetable for cases.

6 June 1984

The National Prosecution Service

The government has announced that it is to press ahead with its plans for a national, centrally-funded, independent prosecution service. A centralised national prosecution service will not escape the troubles inherent in any monolithic centralised organisation. These include delay, expense and the power of the unions to bring the system to a halt.

12 June 1974

What answer to terrorism?

The British Airline Pilots’ Association has repeated its demand for the death penalty in all hijackings. Yet, while in general we have abolished the death penalty, it is still retained for treason, piracy and killings of police officers in Northern Ireland. There are precedents, therefore, for a specific offence like hijacking.

Dress in court

I frequently wear a brown, blue and orange suit with brown socks, brown shoes, a green shirt and tie in various shades of green and white. In view of the Council’s statement relating to dress in court, am I now to assume I should purchase some more sombre attire and, if so, what do you suggest?

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