Return Control of Magistrates' Courts

An illuminating article in The Law Gazette took my eye

read it here

In light of the proposals to privatise the courts the author makes a cogent argument for returning control of Magistrates' Courts away from the despised Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and back to the local community, as it was in the good old days of Magistrates' Courts Committees.

OK, so she's not advocating the return of MCCs but the idea that courts should, or could, be run locally by a board of local people, Police Commissioners, Magistrates, Local Councillors etc. seems eminently preferable to them being run by Tesco.

It's highly unlikely of course. As the author says, central government always disliked the autonomy of MCCs and it is inconceivable that having wrested control away from local people it will voluntarily relinquish that control now, more's the pity.

The author is quite right when she says that magistrates now have no influence over the running of the courts, despite having many ideas on how they could be run more efficiently, and feel like hired hands, expected to preside over justice, but having no input into its administration.

I can think of no better way of restoring that lost pride and feeling of worth, which was an integral part of being a Magistrate when I was appointed, than adopting the ideas in this article