StevenAs a former magistrate the only way I can support the current plans is if they are strictly temporary, to enable the backlog to be cleared, or at least reduced to an acceptable level. The proposed changes appear to be permanent, however.Trial by magistrate is a common way to deal with most low level crime and while that it not a full jury of 12 good men and true it is still a bench of three magistrates, all lay members of the public with some training in court practice (but not the law - there is a legal adviser to guide us on legal technicalities).The issue of jury trials for so-called either-way offences is at the heart of the problem. These include day to day crimes such as theft and the defendant has the right to elect for a full jury trial however trivial the offence might have been. This is often seen as a way of not only delaying the final verdict but sometimes a way of getting off or at least getting treated more lightly. A moot point, I would say, though some defendants were just keen to put off the evil day for as long as possible.Magistrates also have the right to send an either way case upstairs if they deem the likely result to be a sentence beyond their powers.Summary offences are ones only magistrates deal with while indictable offences are always reserved for the Crown Court and require a trial if the defendant pleads not guilty. Indictable offences form a tiny part of the overall backlog but include murder, rape, terrorist offences and treason.Magistrates do still play a role even here - they preside over the first hearing and can decide on bail applications. That is more than a formality, by the way.The problems of the justice system go back many years. I was appointed back in 2005 and even then it was clear the system was underfunded, courthouses had maintenance backlogs, there were staff shortages, etc etc. Today it is infinitely worse and it is not just the courts, the probation service has never recovered from the disastrous Grayling reforms when he insisted on privatising parts of it, destroyed morale and caused large numbers of experienced probation staff to leave. And we have all read about the crisis in our prisons, already evident back in the early 2000s but also infinitely worse today. The austerity years did enormous harm. Magistrates had to visit prisons - to see where we might be consigning defendants - and I saw the inside of Wandsworth and Brixton prisons as well as Feltham YOI. Grim, even then. In fact so grim I wrote to the Chief Inspector of Prisons to share my views, not that led to anything!So I agree with you - extended court hours would certainly help but it would only be a partial solution as there is a shortage of judges and despite common perceptions they do work long hours already. The real solution inevitably involves serious long term investment in just about every aspect of the system. I doubt that is going to happen so we will continue to stumble from crisis to crisis just as we have been doing for the last 20 years or more.
Jonathan Callaway ● 2d