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Leading lawyers are pleading with the government not to commit the “irremediable error” of ending jury trials for most cases – but is their plea falling on deaf ears?

Here’s The Guardian to give you the context:

“More than 100 lawyers who wrote to the Ministry of Justice expressing significant concerns about plans to severely restrict jury trials say representations by the legal profession are being ignored.

“The government is expected to formally announce the changes, which have caused deep division among the judiciary and senior lawyers, as soon as next week.

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“The letter, whose signatories include 23 king’s counsel, expressed “deep concern” at the changes and said the recommendations from Sir Brian Leveson’s report would not reduce the court backlog.

“It called the plan to introduce judge-alone trials for all but the most serious offences an “irremediable error” that would end an ancient right for little benefit.”

So the Ministry of Justice is pushing ahead while silencing the legal profession.

This suggests a pre-determined agenda, not a policy responding to evidence…

To read the rest, head over to The Whip Line.

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