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Local magistrates’ courts “may go full circle” and be reinstated, says think tank (25 September 2014)

Date: 25/09/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Local magistrates’ courts “may go full circle” and be reinstated, says think tank

A think tank is calling for the return of local justice, following the closure of one in five magistrates’ courts across England and Wales.

The Law Society Gazette reports that centre-right think tank Politea claims that closing local magistrates’ courts has led to rocketing costs and “lamentable” consequence for the justice system.

In a paper published in the journal Magistrates Work! Conservative MP Simon Reevell, barrister Stanley Brodie QC and academic John Howson are calling for magistrates’ courts to be reinstated to improve access to justice and transparency in the justice system.

The authors of the report say that the number of magistrates’ courts has been reduced from 330 to 240 – while the cost to the justice system has increased by £1.5 billion.

Simon Reevell MP told the Law Society Gazette:

“The rule of law now operates from a few select hubs.

“Some places have been abandoned in terms of local justice,” he added.

Mr Reevell says that the closure of local magistrates’ courts means cases are being dealt with out of the area where offences are committed – and as a consequence, communities are not necessarily hearing about cases relevant to where they live.

Local newspapers regularly report from the local magistrates’ court and usually liaise with local police for information about cases.

However, sending a reporter outside an area to cover a case may prove too costly for local publications, meaning cases might go unreported in the areas where offences were committed.

Mr Reevell says that dealing with offences away from the communities where they are committed means “no one will hear anything about the case, no lessons will be learned, there will be no deterrent effect”.

The think tank’s paper suggests that some buildings could be altered or adapted to accommodate magistrates’ courts – or former courtrooms could re-open to ensure “a courtroom in every community”.

The authors of the paper also suggest that larger, centralised courtrooms could be supplemented by small, localised courtrooms which would deal with certain offences committed in the community – including road traffic offences, drugs-related charges and domestic violence offences.

Mr Reevell said that community justice panels could also evolve back into being magistrates’ courts.

Mr Reevell said:

If courts had not been closed in the first place, this would not need to be done.

“It’s like reinventing the wheel,” he added.

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