Judicial views and responses
From time to time, judges will wish to respond to government proposals on issues which have a direct impact on the running of the courts.
8 July 2008
Response to the Ministry of Justice consultation paper: A proposal to revise and simplify the Rules about commencing proceedings in a Magistrates' Court
30 June 2008
Responses to the Sentencing Commission Working Group consultation paper: A Structured Sentencing Framework and Sentencing Commission
- Response prepared at the request of the Senior Presiding Judge (PDF 272kb)
- Response on behalf of the Council of Her Majesty's Circuit Judges (PDF 136kb) and Postscript (PDF 13kb)
- Response on behalf of the Magistrates Association (Word 82kb)
29 May 2008
Responses / Observations on behalf of the Council of Her Majesty's Circuit Judges to the following consultation papers
- Cross Border Cases where Judgments are made in Absentia (PDF 17kb)
- Reforming Bribery (PDF 46kb)
- The High Court’s Jurisdiction in Criminal Proceedings (PDF 68kb)
- Law Commission’s Consultation Paper No 183: Conspiracy and Attempts (PDF 59kb)
- Sentencing for Corporate Manslaughter (PDF 67kb)
16 May 2008
Response to the Ministry of Justice consultation paper: Administration and Enforcement Restriction Orders - Setting the Parameters
16 April 2008
Responses to Her Majesty's Courts Service consultation paper: Public Law Family Fees
- Response of Family Sub Committee of the Council of Circuit Judges on behalf of the President of the Family Division (PDF 23kb)
- Response on behalf of Association of Her Majesty's District Judges (PDF 143kb)
16 April 2008
Responses to Ministry of Justice consultation paper: Forced Marriage (Civil Protection Act) 2007 - relevant Third Party
- Response on behalf of High Court Family Division (PDF 25kb)
- Response on behalf of the Association of Her Majesty's District Judges (PDF 173kb)
10 April 2008
Responses to the Government’s consultation paper, ‘The Governance of Britain: Judicial Appointments’
- Response on behalf of the Judges’ Council and the Judicial Executive Board (PDF 44kb)
- Response on behalf of the Association of District Judges (PDF 70kb)
14 November 2007
Proposals for Justice Outside London full report
Related link:
Press Release: Justice Outside London - Administrative Courts in Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds?
Select Committee Report – Judicial Response - 19 October 2007
- Response from the Judiciary to the House of Lords’ Select Committee on the Constitution’s report (PDF 83kb)
Relations between the Executive, the Judiciary and Parliament - Judicial accountability paper – October 2007 (HTML version)
- Judicial accountability paper – October 2007 (PDF version 159kb)
- House of Lords’ Select Committee on the Constitution’s report: Relations between the executive, the judiciary and Parliament (HL Paper 151) – 26 July 2007
Constitutional Affairs Select Committee - 22 May 2007
Evidence of the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers
Constitution Committee of the House of Lords - 1 May 2007
Statement from Lord Justice Thomas on the creation of the Ministry of Justice
(PDF 25kb)
This statement was prepared to be given in evidence to the Constitution Committee of the House of Lords on 1 May 2007
Announcement of a Ministry of Justice
Statement by the Lord Chief Justice
Making Sure that Crime Doesn't Pay (PDF 136kb)
Letter from Sir Igor Judge President of the Queen's Bench Division
Judges Council Response to DCA Consultation Paper: Return to Practice by Former Salaried Judges:
- Letter from the Lord Chief Justice as Chairman of the Judges’ Council (PDF 57kb)
- Report of the Judges’ Council Working Group (PDF 109kb)
- Response of the Judges’ Council to the Right Honourable Lord Falconer of Thoroton (PDF 69kb)
Management Structure and Responsibilities for the Judicial Business of the Magistrates' Courts (PDF 63kb) [revised October 2007]
Judicial response: Comments by the judiciary on Civil and Family Legal Aid: Proposals for Procurement (Word 95kb)
Report by Lord Justice Wall to the President of the Family Division on the publication '29 child homicides' (PDF 80kb)
This report was prepared by Lord Justice Wall in response to a report published by Women's Aid on 29 children killed by their fathers at the end of their parents' relationships. The report assesses whether the courts and judiciary were in any way to blame for the tragedies that occurred.
Technology and Construction Court Interim Report and Consultation: Pre-action Protocol for Construction and Engineering Disputes (PDF 77kb)
The interim report of the working party set up to carry out a review of the Pre-action Protocol for Construction and Engineering Disputes. The working party discussed and took soundings about how the Protocol was currently working in all categories of cases and how, if at all, it could be improved or modified. Comments are welcome on this report by 30 March 2006.
Technology and Construction Court Consultation: Court Settlement Process (PDF 23kb)
This paper considers the proposal that judges of the TCC should offer their services to assist the parties in achieving settlement in appropriate cases, where all parties so wish. This proposal has been modified after discussions with the senior judiciary and is set out in a paper entitled 'Court Settlement Process'. Comments welcome by 28 February 2006.
Judges' Council Response to consultation on Constitutional Reform (PDF 209kb) and media briefing (PDF 103kb)
[6 November 2003]