Government mostly rolls back on plans to curb jury trials
The government has mostly scaled back its plans to scrap juries for some criminal trials, with the Lord Chancellor responding to the “strength of feeling” on the issue. In December 2025 the then-deputy prime minister and secretary of state for justice David Lammy introduced proposals to allow some criminal cases where a sentence was likely […]
Study finds AI chatbots directing clients to firms fined or shut down by SRA
Consumers asking AI to recommend a trusted solicitor are being directed to firms that have been fined or shut down by the Solicitors Regulations Authority (SRA), according to a new study from an access to justice charity. Blind Justice UK’s AI’s Blind Spot report highlights how AI tools could be steering people unknowingly towards using […]
National campaign launched to recruit people ‘from all backgrounds’ to become magistrates
A national campaign has been launched to recruit more magistrate judges, with an emphasis on encouraging people “from all backgrounds” to volunteer for the role. Magistrates hear around 95% of criminal cases in England and Wales and also sit in the Family Court. The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (CTJ) is appealing for more people to […]