Tutor2u on Facebook
We have a new Facebook page and it will be full of news, links to resources and other goodies as the year develops. Have a look here! And perhaps sign up as a facebook fan!
How to be a city solicitor - and a podcast…
Nice article in the Graun here from a student - good for illustrating AS teaching of legal profession with real-life experience. If you want to give your students a start on the inside track on making it in the professions you could do a lot worse than direct them to listen to this podcast, which also doubles as useful bit of extension material for in-depth knowledge of the training of solicitors and barristers.
Legal Heroes
... is an interesting new series from the Guardian’s Law pages. This profile of Lord Bingham by the sainted Shami Chakrabarti is useful to teachers of A level law, particularly for discussion of the rule of law, and also as a link to any disucssion about the role of the judiciary, separation of powers, and so on.
The comments are also useful, containing some discussion of Denning’s career. Good stuff for those of you teaching contract law!
Res Ipsa Loquitur - Unit 2 -Your Answer Speaks for Itself
Revision notes on res ipsa loquitur - a new requirement of the revised A level specifications.
Government policy on deportation “unlawful”
This story is a great one for the use of AS Law teachers. It’s a good example of judicial review. The group Medical Justice succeded in persuading the High Court to rule that the government’s use of fast-track deportations is unlawful.
To bring the issues in this case alive for your students, the Independent has a case study of the government’s policy in action.
A “rehabilitation revolution”
...could be on its way if Prison Minister Crispin Blunt’s plans become law. Following a report from Victim Support and the Restorative Justice Consortium, personal apologies by offenders to victims could lead to early release and savings of up to £185 million:
Another proposal is that earnings of criminals in jail or in the course of other sentences could be given to victims.
So, is restorative justice a “fad”, the right approach, or a necessary cost-cutting measure? Ask your students what they think!
Trial without jury “a last resort”
...so says the Lord Chief Justice, and only where a “real and present danger of jury tampering was certain”. This story is useful as AS students are required to understanding jury tampering, and restricting the right to jury trial has been a constant theme in recent years.
Applications for trials without a jury appear to be a “creeping trend” according to the excellent Clive Coleman of the BBC. Whilst the court appears to have little sympathy for the likes of John Twomey who may be regarded as attempting to “subvert the process” by some, it appears that the judiciary are keen to ensure that trials without a jury remain a matter of last resort. Was the first such trial ”breaking history”, or a necessary step to take in the circumstances? A good discussion point that links to wider issues around the jury system.
The parole board
Cracking insight into the workings of the parole board in this article. Great for using on sentencing - One Parole Board member’s views on prison and rehabilitation here are revealing and will provide AS students with real insight.
Judicial diversity
...is something that students are asked to consider when assessing whether or not our judges’ backgrounds reflect that of the public at large. Improvements to judicial selection have been made in recent years, and in particular judges are now appointed by an independent commission, which has just published the latest diversity statistics.
This seems to show more women and BME candidates applying under the new system, and more women being appointed under it. Of course, this begs a question as to the fate of the increased number of BME applicants, in relation to whom the rise in applications has not led to a corresponding rise in appointments.
Applications from solicitors have doubled, and they are now being appointed at the same rate as their learned colleagues from the Bar.
The issue of sexuality remains a vexed one, however. The Guardian notes research showing that gay lawyers are still put off applying for a post by judicial culture, and the atmosphere is
perhaps reflected in the lack of high-profile judges who are “out”. There is a lack of data here, which perhaps needs to be remedied if the likes of Sir Terence Etherton are not to remain the exception rather than the rule.
Some progress made, then, but clearly there’s a long way to go if we want our judges to truly reflect - and therefore fully understand - the society they serve. A lot of good data here for your students in any event!
“Intimidating, difficult, and expensive”
...is one prominent lawyer’s assessment of the likely impact of the forthcoming cuts to the civil justice system. Christina Blacklaws worries that for the vulnerable court user who finds the quote in the title applicable to their experience, “no local justice will mean no justice at all’.
The implications for access to justice are clear, and worrying,,,
