Courts

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on the courts. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
28.02.2013	The Special Immigration Appeals Commission
	The Special Immigration Appeals Commission Tribunal (SIAC) deals with appeals against some immigration, citizenship and asylum decisions that are made on national security, diplomatic, or other public interest grounds.
23.11.2012	Mental Health (Discrimination) (No. 2) Bill: Committee Stage Report
	This briefing has been prepared for the Report Stage of the Mental Health (Discrimination) (No 2) Bill on 30 November 2012. The Bill is sponsored by Gavin Barwell MP, who was fourth in the 2012-13 ballot for Private Members' Bills.
30.04.2012	The UK and Reform of the European Court of Human Rights
	The UK holds the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe until mid-May 2012. The UK has Government supported proposals to reform the European Court of Human Rights contained in the Interlaken and Izmir Declarations and has proposed in the draft Brighton Declaration that more account be taken of the principles of subsidiarity and the margin of appreciation.
04.05.2011	The European Court of Human Rights: the election of judges
	This Note looks at some of the criticism of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular the procedure for selecting and electing judges to the Court, the quality and experience of those judges and proposals for reforming the selection criteria and method of appointment.
06.09.2010	Private prosecutions
	This note provides an overview of the right of a private individual to bring a criminal prosecution. It also outlines some of the procedural safeguards to prevent misuse of this right, including the need to obtain consent to prosecute certain offences and the ability of the Director of Public Prosecutions to take over private prosecutions. It includes a discussion of recent attempts to bring private prosecutions in respect of alleged war crimes.

Research Papers

Date	Description
08.03.2013	Crime and Courts Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report
	The Crime and Courts Bill would, amongst other things, establish a new National Crime Agency, change the law on self defence for householders defending themselves from intruders, make changes to community sentences and immigration appeal rights and introduce a new drug driving offence. The Government made a number of substantive amendments in Committee, including on bailiffs, proceeds of crime and extradition.
09.01.2013	Crime and Courts Bill [HL]
	The Bill would establish a new National Crime Agency and make a number of changes to the administration of justice. It also deals with the law of self defence as it applies to householders defending themselves from intruders; makes changes to community sentences and to immigration appeal rights; and introduces a new drug driving offence.
14.12.2012	Justice and Security Bill
	This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading of the Justice and Security Bill in the House of Commons, which is due to take place on 18 December 2012. The Bill, which has proved contentious, was originally introduced in the House of Lords on 28 May 2012. It is aimed at modernising and strengthening the oversight of the intelligence and security services and would allow the civil courts to use closed material procedures to hear sensitive evidence in cases that raised national security concerns. It would also preclude the courts from ordering the disclosure of sensitive information in certain circumstances. The Bill was revised significantly in the Lords and was introduced in the House of Commons on 28 November 2012.
16.12.2009	Children, Schools and Families Bill. Bill 8 2009-10.
	This Bill provides 'guarantees' for pupils and parents in the school system, underpinned by new Home School Agreements, and makes provision for parental satisfaction surveys. It also makes changes to the powers of governing bodies of maintained schools; extends the remit of School Improvement Partners; provides greater powers for local authorities and the Secretary of State in relation to failing schools; paves the way for the introduction of School Report Cards; and makes provision to introduce a licence to practise for teachers. The Bill also seeks to implement the recommendations of several major reports. These changes affect the school curriculum; provide a registration system for home educators; and provide an additional right of appeal for parents of children with special educational needs. The Bill would also make changes to the reporting of information relating to family proceedings. Other provisions relate to Local Safeguarding Children Boards, Youth Offending Teams, the charitable status of academies, and the fees system for the inspection of independent schools.
01.03.2007	The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL]

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
17.06.2009	The administration of the Crown Court.
	Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
05.05.2009	Procedural rights in EU criminal proceedings.
	European Union Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
23.11.2011	AMENDMENT OF THE ROME STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
	That this House notes the amendment to the 1998 Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court (ICC) adopted on 12 June 2010 in Kampala defining the Crime of Aggression; further ...
19.10.2011	EXPERT EVIDENCE PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY
	That this House notes the comments of Sir Nicholas Wall, President of the Family Division, that `Nothing annoys me as much as the nostrum peddled by opponents of the system that experts ...
07.09.2011	MAGISTRATES' COURTS (S.I., 2011, No. 1721)
	<p>That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying thatthe Justices of the Peace Act 1949 (Compensation) (Revocation) Regulations 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1721), dated 13 July ...
07.09.2011	ROLE OF LANCASHIRE POLICE IN THE EMPRESS COURT DISPUTE
	That this House notes the dispute between residents and Empress Court (Morecambe) Limited; further notes that CPSO Laura Jolly and PC Ian Nickson intervened after residents became upset ...
11.08.2011	EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION APPLICATION TO THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
	That this House welcomes the application by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to intervene in four cases at the European Court of Human Rights which involve alleged religious ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
16.05.2013	Offender Rehabilitation Bill [HL] (HL Bill 2 of 2013-14)
	The Offender Rehabilitation Bill would provide increased support and supervision upon release for those serving prison sentences of up to two years, and would make changes to the arrangements for community orders and suspended sentence orders. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords.
04.10.2012	Defamation Bill (HL Bill 41 of 2012-13)
	This Library Note is published in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Defamation Bill on 9 October 2012.
14.06.2012	Justice and Security Bill [HL] (HL Bill 27 of 2012-13)
	This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Justice and Security Bill on 19 June 2012.
24.05.2012	Crime and Courts Bill (HL Bill 4 of 2012-13)
	The Crime and Courts Bill would establish a new National Crime Agency to combat organised crime, and contains provisions for reforms of the courts system (including judicial appointments and to allow broadcasting of certain court proceedings) as well as provisions on immigration, drug driving and community sentencing. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords.
20.11.2009	The Appellate Jurisdiction of the House of Lords (Updated November 2009). LLN 2009/010
	The Appellate Jurisdiction of the House of Lords (Updated November 2009). House of Lords Library Note 2009/010 From 1st October 2009 the appellate jurisdiction of the House of Lords was transferred to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. This Library Note gives an account of the history of the appellate jurisdiction, its functioning in practice and describes the Supreme Court.
15.03.2007	Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill. LLN 2007/002