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The winning essay is ‘A fiction of defendant participation: Single Justice Procedure offences should be moved to the civil jurisdiction’ by Hal McNulty
Brief summary
Through the Single Justice Procedure (SJP), defendants have become so marginal in their own criminal trials that it calls into question the state’s compliance with Article 6 of the ECHR.
How and why did you pick this topic?
This past year I have been reading Tristan Kirk’s articles in The Standard in which he tells the stories of people convicted through the SJP. Our criminal justice system is drastically under-resourced and overstretched, so ways to make efficiency savings are very attractive to lawmakers. But the SJP does this by cutting protections for defendants. I wanted to find a way to keep these savings that would not disadvantage the accused.
The full essay is reproduced below.
Hal McNulty is the winner of the Bar Council's Law Reform Essay Competition 2024.
Brief summary
Through the Single Justice Procedure (SJP), defendants have become so marginal in their own criminal trials that it calls into question the state’s compliance with Article 6 of the ECHR.
How and why did you pick this topic?
This past year I have been reading Tristan Kirk’s articles in The Standard in which he tells the stories of people convicted through the SJP. Our criminal justice system is drastically under-resourced and overstretched, so ways to make efficiency savings are very attractive to lawmakers. But the SJP does this by cutting protections for defendants. I wanted to find a way to keep these savings that would not disadvantage the accused.
The full essay is reproduced below.
The winning essay is ‘A fiction of defendant participation: Single Justice Procedure offences should be moved to the civil jurisdiction’ by Hal McNulty
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
