Public voices concern over criminal court backlog as legal profession comes together to mark Justice Week

CILEX, the Bar Council and the Law Society came together in the first week of March to mark Justice Week and highlight the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on rights, laws and the justice system.

In a joint statement, they said: “No single occurrence in recent history has had as pervasive, immediate and indelible effect on all our lives, our communities and our institutions as the Covid-19 pandemic. This is as true of our laws and our justice system as it is of other essential public services.

“Our most vulnerable citizens, from those at risk of domestic violence to people living in care homes, have struggled to access justice when they have needed it the most. Our courts and tribunals have had to embrace the world of remote hearings almost overnight, and it is not clear if and when normality will return. Our freedoms have been limited and policed in new and at times controversial ways.”

The trio published research which showed that the majority (73%) of the public was concerned about the current backlog in the criminal courts.

Four in 10 said it was getting harder to enforce their rights and more than two-thirds of people said that, after the pandemic, it would be important for people to have the same ability to uphold their rights and access legal advice as they did before.

The three organisations said this fear in part stems from the restrictions on freedoms imposed to control the pandemic and the fact that, during lockdown, some of the most vulnerable citizens – such as those at risk of domestic violence and people living in care homes – have struggled to access justice when they have most needed it.

They called on the government to “bolster the beleaguered justice system so people can access legal advice to protect and uphold their rights in times of need.”

Justice Week aims to improve the ability of the public to access justice by building public support and understanding for the rule of law and justice, increasing public understanding of the role of government in the justice system and identifying and securing support for actions which could improve justice.