Sitting as a magistrate, I've seen a decline in standards of local criminal justice: longer waits for trials, the increasing 'secretisation' of justice through the SJP, a shift in how cases are prosecuted, the physical and geographic decline of the court estate, and a growing sense of exploitation and disregard of magistrates by HMCTS. But we do at least have a semi-functioning electronic records system and the reasonably effective advocacy of the Magistrates Associate. The County Court system has neither of these. As you say, it is typical of the current state of our public services.
Even if you have the money for the costs you can't decide to go for the High Court unless you exaggerate the value of your claim - you will be sent briskly to the county court. There are also of course many areas of law where you have to go to the county court regardless of value e.g. business tenancies. ADR is of course consensual so that's no good. And enforcement of a judgment ........
I am certainly wondering what might happen if substantial numbers of people decided that a 44% rise in their water bill was an interesting moment to see if the County Courts still actually function
Sitting as a magistrate, I've seen a decline in standards of local criminal justice: longer waits for trials, the increasing 'secretisation' of justice through the SJP, a shift in how cases are prosecuted, the physical and geographic decline of the court estate, and a growing sense of exploitation and disregard of magistrates by HMCTS. But we do at least have a semi-functioning electronic records system and the reasonably effective advocacy of the Magistrates Associate. The County Court system has neither of these. As you say, it is typical of the current state of our public services.
Even if you have the money for the costs you can't decide to go for the High Court unless you exaggerate the value of your claim - you will be sent briskly to the county court. There are also of course many areas of law where you have to go to the county court regardless of value e.g. business tenancies. ADR is of course consensual so that's no good. And enforcement of a judgment ........
I am certainly wondering what might happen if substantial numbers of people decided that a 44% rise in their water bill was an interesting moment to see if the County Courts still actually function