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The Magistrate's Blog (2005-2012)

This blog has migrated to www.magistratesblog.blogspot.co.uk This blog is anonymous, and Bystander's views are his and his alone. Where his views differ from the letter of the law, he will enforce the letter of the law because that is what he has sworn to do. If you think that you can identify a particular case from one of the posts you are wrong. Enough facts are changed to preserve the truth of the tale but to disguise its exact source.

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Location: Near London, United Kingdom

The blog is written by a retired JP, with over 30 years' experience on the Bench.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Simple, Speedy, Summary (And Unfair)

Petrikov is a regular contributor to the comments, and brings a welcome transatlantic view of things. He has found this from the New York Times, about local justice as practised in the more rural parts of the Empire State.
I do hope that nobody leaves this article lying around in Downing Street. CJSSS is the mantra that is chanted at the morning before-work ceremony in Charlie's Department of Constitutional Affairs (aka Decaff). "Criminal Justice Simple, Speedy, and Summary" is what that stands for, and it's the 'Summary' that worries the hell out of me. I associate the word with summary execution, summary dismissal, and so on. It does not have connotations of consideration of evidence or of due process, but more of a quick ticket handed out by a harassed PC or an ASBO dished out by the park keeper or the dog warden. Well, those sturdy (elected) burghers in NY certainly seem to have the summary bit well in hand.
Don't tell Tony, will you?

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