CALLING ALL CRIMINAL PRACTITIONERS – Stop Delaying Justice Initiative Briefing Sessions
The national Stop Delaying Justice! Initiative intends to ensure that almost all trials are case managed at the first hearing and disposed of at the second hearing in the magistrates’ court. The initiative is led by the judiciary; magistrates and district judges working together. The project has the support of the Senior Presiding Judge, the Justices’ Clerks’ Society, The Magistrates’ Association, the National Bench Chairman’s Forum and the Chief Magistrate. A DVD has been put together showing case management good practice and urging magistrates to take a more robust role in ensuring pleas are entered on the first occasion and scrutinising adjournments more closely. A series of seminars is currently being held for magistrates showing excerpts of the DVD followed by discussion.
In order inform local defence solicitors and prosecutors about the initiative local courts will be holding a number of open briefing sessions, which will include showing some scenes from the DVD, before the end of December. The dates will be fixed at various courthouses in Greater Manchester shortly. Details of the dates will be circulated once they have been agreed and all defence practitioners are urged to attend one of these sessions.
For further information please contact
Sarah Gebbie
Legal Training Manager
Legal Training Unit
Manchester Civil Justice Centre
PO Box 4239
1 Bridge Street West
Manchester
M60 1UR
0161 240 5914