Special reports

First impressions are of a modern building, one which is functional, bright and airy. It’s hard to imagine Rumpole of the Bailey walking these corridors. But while the surroundings may be very much 21st century, some traditions remain. 

Barristers in full legal garb do indeed still roam here and other customs are most obvious in the crown court, where everyone must stand when a judge enters or leaves. It is also still common practice to nod or bow towards the front bench when coming in or going out. For some these traditions remain valuable as they symbolise deference to the law of the land. For others they are a theatrical throwback that has no place in today’s justice system.

Laganside Courts

Pomp is less evident in the magistrate’s court which is very much the workhorse of the court system. Spend a bit of time in these rooms and you quickly realise why we hear so much about a clogged up legal process. Each day 80 or more cases could be listed in a single court room. To get through so much, summary justice must be dispensed quickly. Someone who has pleaded guilty to an offence may only spend a few minutes in the dock. As solicitors and their clients come and go at a bewildering pace, this place can begin to feel like a legal conveyor belt. But all this action can be misleading.

During my week at Laganside, it was not unusual for 50% or more of the cases to be delayed or ‘adjourned’ in legal lingo. This happened for a variety of reasons including failure of the accused to attend, failure to produce a full case report or failure of the relevant police officer to appear in court. 

By far the majority of cases in the magistrate’s court involved some kind of driving offence. No licence (due to previous disqualification), no insurance and driving while under the influence of alcohol were all common. After this most offences involved some kind of alcohol fuelled violence. Theft was also prevalent. Most people I saw appearing in the dock were in their late teens or twenties.

Many of those appearing before the courts had a degree of familiarity with the process. The reason for that is most weren’t starting with a clean slate. In fact, in only a handful of the cases I witnessed was it the person’s first time before the law. With such an apparent high level of reoffending, one surely has to ask whether this system is really working.

But some things are working in the legal system. Efforts to get more women involved, for example, are bearing fruit. At every level in the Laganside Courts they are well represented. And while many cases at magistrate’s level are still being delayed, it’s obvious that those magistrates are making strenuous efforts to minimise the need for adjournments. Also, although the process may still be confusing for a novice walking into the building, the court security staff are always on hand to offer useful advice.

While what goes on in the courts is obviously a serious business, it also has its lighter moments. During my week here a man accused of growing cannabis plants was granted bail – but the magistrate advised him to stay away from gardening until his next appearance. 

Five days at Laganside is a relatively short time – but over that period I saw the names of hundreds of defendants. Outside the court precincts many people believe the guilty should receive harsher punishments and longer sentences – but with such a large number of offenders that hardly seems realistic. With seemingly high levels of reoffending there remains much room for improvement. Ultimately, society pays the price for this system's imperfections.