Having the Last Word – Closing Speeches

Having the Last Word – Closing Speeches

by | Oct 31, 2020 | Court

Having the Last Word – Closing Speeches The closing speech is a significant opportunity for the defence to make a plea to the jury as to why a not guilty verdict ought to be returned. The speech, which will follow any prosecution closing, allows the defence to...
Recovery plan for the criminal courts

Recovery plan for the criminal courts

by | Sep 8, 2020 | Court

Recovery plan for the criminal courts In March, nearly 50% of courts were closed, and jury trials were halted to reduce interaction between court users dramatically. Although 90% of courts have re-opened there is a backlog of cases. The government has announced a...
‘Lurking Doubt’ as a Ground of Appeal

‘Lurking Doubt’ as a Ground of Appeal

by | Aug 31, 2020 | Court

‘Lurking Doubt’ as a Ground of Appeal The idea of lurking doubt as a ground of appeal was first identified in the case of Cooper [1969] 1 QB 267 when the Court held: ‘…we are indeed charged to allow an appeal against conviction if we think that...
Jurors – When They Misbehave

Jurors – When They Misbehave

by | Aug 7, 2020 | Court

Jurors – When They Misbehave Jurors take an oath to try a case solely on the evidence heard in court, to do otherwise risks a significant miscarriage of justice. At the outset of every criminal trial, and often at frequent points during it, a Judge will remind...
Jury Trials and Covid 19

Jury Trials and Covid 19

by | Jun 24, 2020 | Court

Jury Trials and Covid 19 In a startling announcement, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland admitted that the right to a jury trial is in his sights and might be curtailed in a few weeks time. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, the Crown Court case backlog was approximately...
Terminating Rulings

Terminating Rulings

by | May 7, 2020 | Court

Terminating Rulings When a judge makes a ruling at a crown court trial relating to one or more of the offences faced, the prosecution may have a right to appeal against that ruling. The right to appeal against a terminating ruling is strictly conditional upon certain...