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Friday 13 July 2012

Speedy justice?

The main delays in court are due to the means testing system which if you happen to be employed or self employed means Upto weeks if you have to be assessed.

The cps can't serve primary disclosure in the current timescale so there is no chance of it managing faster.

Weekend courts and night courts seem not to take into account court staff prosecutors and defence solicitors having a life. Let's not worry about having time off and I am guessing no ffinancial compensation will be put forward.

Perhaps the government should spend all this time and money on a rise in legal aid rates for the first time in 20 years

Thursday 5 July 2012

Why we do this job

Everyone I tell someone what I do they shake their heads and say " I couldn't do your job, how do you do it"

Most have little contact with the police or are too young to remember the good old pre- pace days. Officers using any methods necessary to get a confession whether guilty or not.

Most of my clients are illiterate those who can read and write left school at 16 with little on terms of qualifications. There are those who have mental health problems or learning difficulties

They get to court and are faced with a well educated articulate prosecutor who's job it is to get a conviction.

It is a civilised society that protects the less advantaged against the mistakes of the most advantaged.

A lot of our clients are guilty and deserve the same level of advocacy as the state provides for a victim. Not as many think to get them off but also to explain to the court their circumstances and problems that will assist the court in the most appropriate way forward.

We also do have many innocent clients who deserve the protection of the educated advocate. These can be teachers doctors builders etc

We are the guards who guard the guards.