Lay or DJ?

Are professional District Judges better than lay Magistrates? This article is perfect, based on the MoJ’s recent report. Fewer differences than you might think, apparently… perhaps get your students to list the comments on lay magistrates and District Judges made in the article, and use them for a debate!

There’s also some welcome criticism here of the old Auld report proposals for a new middle level of Court between Mags and Crown.

Sam Hallam is freed [17 May 2012]
New MoJ Site [24 Jan 2012]
Jury trial under threat…again! [17 Jan 2012]
R v Dobson & Norris [4 Jan 2012]
The Solar System of the Courts [29 Nov 2011]
Sentencing Stats [28 Oct 2011]
Sentencing - LIVE! [5 Sep 2011]
A landmark case for the jury [20 Jul 2011]
The true impact of the legal aid cuts [18 Mar 2011]
Criminal Courts - Free interactive resource [4 Feb 2011]
Deterrence [26 Jan 2011]
Free interactive resource! [25 Jan 2011]
Judge for Yourself [23 Jan 2011]
Tweet Justice [21 Dec 2010]
Julian Assange granted bail [14 Dec 2010]
Twitter Joke Trial [22 Nov 2010]
middle class, middle aged…. and sleepy? [3 Oct 2010]
Will the Supreme Court survive the cuts? [24 Sep 2010]
The parole board [20 Jul 2010]
Absolute scum! [18 May 2010]
“I feel as if they have ripped out my heart” - victim’s justice? [17 Mar 2010]
You Be The Judge [10 Mar 2010]
Are juries fair? [21 Feb 2010]
Criminal Appeals: Attorney General’s References [26 Jan 2010]
Mode of Trial proceedings [24 Dec 2009]
Great story for English Legal System revision generally… [7 Dec 2009]