The Family Drug and Alcohol Court
We visit a problem-solving court in Coventry. Joshua Rozenberg speaks to judges, social workers and a mother whose drug addiction put her at risk of losing her children. Producer: Neil Koenig
Mar 05, 2019•28 min
The Law Show
Weekly conversation that will give you an in-depth understanding of the law stories making news and the legal decisions that could have a bearing on everyone in the UK. Whether it's unpicking a landmark legal ruling, explaining how laws are made or seeking clarity for you on a legal issue, The Law Show will be your guide.
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Episodes
The Supreme Court
Behind the scenes at the UK's top court: Joshua Rozenberg talks to staff, officials and the court’s most senior justices. Why do they allow some appeals and refuse even to hear others? How activist are they? And what effect did the Brexit challenge of 2016 have on the reputation of the judiciary? Producer: Neil Koenig
Feb 26, 2019•28 min
Peacemaking, New York style.
Judge Alex Calabrese can wield the big stick if he needs to. But peacemakers at the Red Hook Community Justice Centre in Brooklyn often find it more effective to pass round what they call a talking stick. Joshua Rozenberg finds out whether a Native American form of dispute resolution can be transplanted to a deprived corner of New York. Also, what the new director of public prosecutions for England and Wales thinks about screening jurors before they try rape cases. And one of the BBC team coveri...
Nov 20, 2018•36 min
How did the US Supreme Court become so powerful?
Joshua Rozenberg hears the story of the extraordinary case that rewrote the way America is governed - giving the Supreme Court the power to overrule Congress. He discovers what American prosecutors get up to behind the closed doors of the grand jury room. And he asks whether we should be screening jurors in England and Wales for bias before they are allowed to serve on rape trials. Producer: Neil Koenig Researcher: Diane Richardson
Nov 13, 2018•28 min
Can the law rein in Amazon?
There is a possibility of a new legal challenge to the tech giants. Early last year, an unknown American law student published a scholarly article in a distinguished journal. Lina Khan argued that competition law – known in the United States as anti-trust law – could be used to rein in the activities of huge enterprises like Amazon. Other lawyers disagree with her reasoning - but the Federal Trade Commission is assessing the arguments. Joshua Rozenberg sounds out opinions in the United States. A...
Nov 06, 2018•28 min
Should a former soldier be tried without a jury?
Dennis Hutchings, a former soldier charged with attempted murder in Northern Ireland in 1974, says the UK Supreme Court should let him face trial by jury, rather than a hearing at a special court where a judge sits alone. Joshua Rozenberg speaks to Mr Hutchings and his lawyer. And in the first of a series of reports from the US, we investigate whether female lawyers face prejudice in the courtroom - including allegations of using tears to manipulate jurors. Producer: Neil Koenig Researcher: Dian...
Oct 30, 2018•28 min
Facial Recognition Technology
Some police forces are using automated facial recognition technology to pick suspects out of a crowd. But is face mapping a valuable tool in the fight against serious crime or a new threat to our civil liberties? And does it work? Joshua Rozenberg investigates. Also in this week's programme... Do body-worn video cameras help police to deal more effectively with domestic violence incidents - or do they make matters worse? And the mysterious case of the "pernicious weed"...who should pay when the ...
Jun 26, 2018•28 min
Social media in the dock
Joshua Rosenberg hosts a discussion on the increasing challenges social media poses to criminal justice, featuring insights from Sir Brian Levison on legal updates and Sir John Gillen on its impact on sexual assault trials. The episode also delves into the growing trend of private prosecutions for fraud, highlighted by a significant case brought by a company. Finally, it addresses the international legal implications of Italy's refusal to allow the Aquarius migrant rescue ship to dock, examining human rights and maritime law obligations.
Jun 19, 2018•34 min
Should justice move online?
Is moving justice online a good idea? In British Columbia they have done just that, with a new online tribunal handling things like small claims and property disputes. Could something like this work in Britain? Joshua Rozenberg reports from Vancouver. Also in this week's programme: law is an immensely popular subject for students, but are they given sufficient warnings about how difficult it will be to find work as a solicitor or barrister - especially in the field of criminal law? And does Dona...
Jun 12, 2018•28 min
No-fault Divorce
Should it be easier to end a marriage? The Supreme Court is currently considering a rare defended divorce. Campaigners hope the case will prompt a change in the law in England and Wales - but others fear this will lead to divorce on demand. Joshua Rozenberg investigates. Also in this week's programme: Christina Blacklaws, incoming president of the Law Society of England and Wales, on the implications of an important milestone. A century after the reform that allowed them to become lawyers, most ...
Jun 05, 2018•28 min
Interview with Lord Chancellor David Gauke
David Gauke MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice speaks to Joshua Rozenberg about prisons, modernising the courts system, legal aid and the coroners service. Also: Could plans to change the way solicitors are regulated result in easier and cheaper access to legal services or put consumers at risk? Paul Philip, chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and deputy vice president of the Law Society, Simon Davis, discuss the pros and cons of the proposed changes....
Mar 20, 2018•28 min
Driverless Cars and the Law
The government wants fully self-driving cars on UK roads by 2021 but which will be ready first - the technology or the law? Who is responsible in an accident - the owner or the manufacturer? Joshua Rozenberg meets the team planning a 200 mile driverless journey across the UK and speaks to barrister Lucy McCormick, co-author of Law and Driverless Cars, who explains how the legal landscape is evolving. Also: this week, the High Court is considering a challenge by two victims of the black-cab rapis...
Mar 13, 2018•27 min
Sex Discrimination Law
Is sex discrimination law failing women in the workplace? It's more than 40 years since parliament passed the first Sex Discrimination Act, making it unlawful for employers to discriminate against women in the workplace by treating them less favourably than men. Still, allegations of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment have dominated the news over the past few months. Joeli Brearley tells the story of how she lost her job after she told her employer that she was pregnant and Joshua Rozen...
Mar 06, 2018•28 min
Failings in Evidence Disclosure
The number of prosecutions in England and Wales that collapsed because of a failure by police or prosecutors to disclose evidence increased by 70% in the last two years. Joshua Rozenberg speaks to the Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders and David Tucker from the College of Policing about their response to this rising concern. He also speaks to those directly affected by the failures - members of the public charged and taken to court because police failed to disclose evidence that wou...
Feb 27, 2018•28 min
Trump, the FBI and the Law
Following the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate alleged links between Russians and Donald Trump's election campaign, Joshua Rozenberg finds out what the role of the special counsel involves, how he will go about his work and how the White House will be affected by the probe. Also in the programme: the BBC's Delhi Correspondent, Sanjoy Majumder, reports on the reaction to a recent Indian Supreme Court decision which has upset drinkers and liquor store owners - but pl...
Feb 07, 2018•28 min
Interview with The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
In his first interview since taking office, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales Sir Ian Burnett talks to Joshua Rozenberg. He explains what can be done to gain back public confidence. Also, if you are a foster carer, are you an employee or a worker? How a Scottish couple fought to have their status changed. Katie Gollop QC in conversation with Nemone Lethbridge who was called to the Bar nearly sixty years ago. She remembers why she was not allowed to use one particular facility in Chambe...
Nov 21, 2017•28 min
Investigating the Dead
Joshua Rozenberg asks what's the point of investigating the dead over allegations of abuse. He speaks to the former judge Sir Richard Henriques, who is critical of recent police investigations into dead people accused of abuse. The programme also explores whether we need new laws to protect cyclists on our roads. Producer: Smita Patel Researcher: Diane Richardson.
Nov 14, 2017•28 min
Acid Attacks and the Law
Professor Simon Harding, criminologist at the University of West London, considers proposals to control the sale and possession of corrosive substances with Joshua Rozenberg.
Nov 07, 2017•28 min
The Lawyers Working for GCHQ
Joshua Rozenberg talks exclusively to the director for legal affairs at the government's signals service GCHQ and asks him why the UK's secret intelligence agency needs lawyers.
Oct 31, 2017•28 min
Interview with the Lord Chancellor David Lidington
Joshua Rozenberg examines the implications for the criminal justice system - especially the courts and prisons - of the growing number of prosecutions and convictions of older people for sexual offences. The programme also discovers the legal implications of the explosion in the theatrical use of holograms of both the living and the dead. And we find out what's on the agenda for the new Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, David Lidington.
Jun 27, 2017•28 min
The Law After the Election
Following the general election, Joshua Rozenberg introduces a special live discussion programme in which he and his guests consider what the composition of the new House of Commons means for the law. They consider the courts and those who use them, the strained prison system, impending legislative changes to the law - including those required to achieve commitments made on Brexit - and how those seeking access to justice are likely to fare. Producer Simon Coates.
Jun 13, 2017•28 min
Why Are We Short of Judges?
Vacancies for senior Judges and circuit Judges are now at an all-time high - why? The Judiciary is still reeling from last year's "Enemies of the People" headlines and morale is low, with many Judges fed up with the job. Speaking to three senior judges, Joshua Rozenberg asks what can be done to address the situation? Producer: Jim Frank Researcher: Beth Sagar-Fenton
Mar 16, 2017•30 min
Joint Enterprise and Homicide Law
Joint Enterprise is the law by which a group of people can be convicted with the same offence and earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled that Joint Enterprise law had been misinterpreted for 30 years. This gave campaigners significant hope as they say Joint Enterprise is an unjust law, especially when applied to murder convictions because all defendants face the same mandatory life sentence even if they were periphery players. But these hopes were dashed when the Court of Appeal announced tha...
Nov 15, 2016•28 min
Brexit in the High Court
The High Court has decided that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot trigger Brexit without an Act of Parliament - but what are the legal ramifications of this ruling? This week, Joshua Rozenberg explores this latest chapter in Britain's exit from the EU - the fallout from which has seen highly personal attacks on England's most senior judges, as the ideological divisions seen in the run up to the referendum vote were exposed once more. Following our previous edition of Law in Action, which aired s...
Nov 08, 2016•28 min
Terrorism, Extremism and the Law
Do the laws designed to counter terrorism and extremism strike the right balance between stopping violent attacks and protecting our civil liberties? Weighing up this question has been one of the main tasks of David Anderson QC - the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. Mr Anderson is due to step down after six years in the post, and he speaks to Joshua Rozbenberg about the changes he has seen in counter-terrorism law, and whether the net has now been cast too wide in the fight against...
Nov 01, 2016•47 min
Interview with Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions
Thirty years ago the Crown Prosecution Service was established - the body which acts as a gatekeeper to the criminal justice system of England and Wales. Those three decades have not been an easy ride for the CPS, which faced staffing shortages from the start. What's beyond doubt is that a well-run prosecution service is essential if the criminal courts are going to deliver justice. In this first programme of the new series, Joshua Rozenberg speaks to the current head of the CPS - the Director o...
Oct 25, 2016•27 min
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