Report comment

Lord Hewart was the originator (paraphrased from the original) of the aphorism "Not only must Justice be done; it must also be seen to be done."

This is a very good article written by Michael, and solicitors should pay urgent attention to what is being said here, and also the findings of Transform Justice’s research.

The Bar in particular should be very worried by what is happening here, since there is much potential for back office civil servants to wreck rather than “innovate” the delivery of UK justice.

Unbundling a trial, compartmentalising the trial process, shutting off justice by restricting access to viewing to digital justice “viewing booths” raises a host of issues for modern access to justice in the U.K.

Both the Law Society and the Bar (and I have lost count of the number of times this has been said) must form an alliance to take the lead in this debate, so that true innovation occurs, but not at the expense of justice.

I have this nightmare vision of a vulnerable prisoner in the middle of the night held in a custody suite, being asked to press a button for instant online conviction, blissfully unaware of the potential life changing consequences.