Judicial News

HM The Queen has appointed William Stephen Hart to be a Circuit Judge. He has been assigned to the Western Circuit, based at Gloucester Crown Court w.e.f. 11 June 2008.

HM The Queen has appointed Peter John Henry Ralls QC to be a Circuit Judge. He has been assigned to the Western Circuit, based at Southampton Combined Court w.e.f. 10 June 2008.

HM The Queen has appointed Myles Kenneth George Watkins to be a District Judge. He has been assigned to the Western Circuit, based at Winchester Combined Court w.e.f. 2 June 2008.

Advocacy Liaison Group (ALG) - HCAs

ALG Framework letter (November 2006)
ALG Framework Memo (November 2006)
ALG Framework Document (November 2006)

Careers at the Bar

Would you like to encourage undergraduates in your area to undertake a career at the Bar? Can you offer advice and assistance to BVC students? If you can help the Further Education department at the Inner Temple, please click here for further details.

Criminal Justice Act 2003

Criminal Justice System

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)

ss 71-75 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 - Information for Prosecuting Counsel
Guidance on regulating agreements made with offenders who offer to assist, or have assisted, with the investigation or prosecution of offences committed by others.
A Standard for Communication between Victims, Witnesses and the Prosecuting Advocate (February 2006)
Victims and witnesses have a right to be treated with respect and decency when fulfilling their public responsibility of attending court to give evidence. This guidance, developed in partnership by the Bar Council, the Law Society and the CPS, sets out the standards of behaviour required by prosecuting advocates in order to meet their responsibilities to ensure victims and witnesses are treated with respect and dignity throughout the legal process.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Victim and Witness Care Protocol (December 2006)
Local protocol on victim and witness care covering the geographical boundaries of the Hampshire Constabulary, CPS Districts, Victim Support, Magistrates' Courts, Crown Courts, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Probation Area.
Disclosure - Protocol for the Control and Management of Unused Material in the Crown Court (February 2006)
This document is key to the effective operation of the disclosure system and it is expected that those who the CPS instruct to prosecute will have read it and be willing to apply it.
Disclosure - Attorney General's Guidelines (April 2005)
The application of proper and fair disclosure is a vital component of a fair criminal justice system and these guidelines set out common standards and procedures to be followed.
Attorney General's Points for Prosecutors (September 2000)
Developed to assist prosecutors in providing a consistent response to challenges to a selection of legislative provisions where European Convention on Human Rights issues are likely to be raised.
Farquharson Guidelines (2002)
Guidelines that outline the role and responsibilities of the Prosecution Advocate. Intended to provide practical guidance for all prosecutors, the Guidelines build on, and develop, the principles established by the Farquharson Committee in 1986.
NEW Instructions for Prosecuting Advocates (Sep 2008)
CPS instructions incorporated into every prosecution brief, which any advocate prosecuting on behalf of the CPS is expected to be familiar with and to apply.
Advance Sentence Indication
CPS guidelines that amount to the introduction of a formalised procedure of advance sentence indication. Their objective is to put in place a common process that will enable a defendant to make a better informed decision as to whether to plead guilty or not. See R-v-Goodyear CCA under Recent Judgments.
Unduly Lenient Sentence Appeals
CPS instructions and template for prosecution counsel (November 2005).
Application for inclusion on the Attorney General's list of CPS Higher Court Advocates
Open to barristers who have completed 12 months pupillage who wish to receive prosecution work from the CPS.
Application for Re-grading
All advocates on the Attorney General's list of CPS High Court Advocates are entitled to apply for re-grading to a higher grade.
Re-grading guidance notes
Guidance notes for advocates applying for re-grading to a higher grade.
Re-grading Annex A
An explanation of the different grades, including the competences expected at each of the grades.

Family Law

Fees

The Bar Council Graduated Fee Payment Protocol (April 2007) (37 pages).
CBA Guidance Notes on the Revised Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme (2007) (68 pages).

Legal Services Commission (LSC)

Quality Mark for the Bar (QMB)
The quality standard for legal information, advice and specialist legal services. It comprises a set of standards designed to ensure that a service is well run and has its own quality control mechanisms that assure the quality of the information that the service provides.
Quality Mark for the Bar and BARMARK®
Launched in 1999, BARMARK® is the Bar Council's scheme designed to recognise good practice management within chambers. All holders of BARMARK® can move into QMB subject to them meeting a small number of additional requirements.

Mediation

Recent Judgments

R-v-Goodyear CCA (20 April 2005)
The appeal against sentence which effectively resulted in permitting the judge to give an indication of sentence in advance of a guilty plea. See CPS guidelines under Advance Sentence Indication.

Very High Cost Cases (VHCC)
Cases with regard to which if they proceed to trial that trial would be likely to last for 41 days or longer

Very High Cost Criminal Cases Arrangements 2004
The arrangements made by the Legal Services Commission that apply to cases that are, or are likely to become, Very High Cost Cases - so that such cases may be covered by individual case contracts.
Very High Cost Cases Contract Specification
Legal Services Commission's Complex Crime Unit specification on how contract work is performed and, to some extent, what work is performed.
Terms of Appointment in VHCC cases (June 2005)
Defines the services expected of counsel in the preparation and invoicing of VHCC fees and all other cases falling outside the Graduated Fee Scheme, including requests for advice, Court of Appeal and higher court cases.

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