Bev Higgs, national chair of the Magistrates Association, is right to suggest reforms are needed to fix the criminal justice system (Letters, 7 October). But no one who has read the Secret Barrister’s assessment of the magistrates courts would want to extend their powers. Guardian.
Blogger: well, as it so happens, I have read the Secret Barrister’s assessment of the magistrates courts. It was just a piece of total leftist garbage which I finally abandoned after struggling through two thirds of a book largely consisting of drivel with barely a redeeming feature.
(It had been bought for me as a joke by someone wanting to yank my chain!)
It really was possible to put down - a twisted tale of the magistracy emerged - one which was barely recognisable to anyone who was ever a JP, a Chairman, as well as a Magistrate Qualified To Sit As A Judge In Crown Court - as I had been.
The book spewed hatred and abuse. IMHO, the 'secret lawyer' was really miffed that multitudes of unpaid lay people had a so much better grasp of Justice than many belonging to the Bar and The Law Society.
Interestingly, the SB did not touch on any of the reasons why I finally relinquished my position in this exercise of my social duty.
