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Kat

preachy

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 4 mai 2019

I tried to like this book but the preaching and moaning by the author meant that I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. Frankly it was boring and I gave up half way through.

24 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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Ellie Brown

Far too much jargon - hard to read

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 3 juin 2019

Achat vérifié

I was expecting this book to be like the legal version of Adam Kay’s This is Going to Hurt or Richard Shepherd's Unnatural Causes, but no.

It's a potted history of legal process in England, and a diatribe about all that is wrong with our legal system.

I found it really hard going. Far too much jargon and too long-winded for a general readership. I was expecting more case stories.

I learned a lot - eg about unqualified people being able to serve as magistrates - but I had expected more of this book. I didn't finish it.

12 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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Lynda G

A very boring book

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 4 juillet 2019

Achat vérifié

I really disliked this book. I thought the author was supremely arrogant inasmuch as he clearly thinks he knows better than anyone else about how the law works - or should work. I find it difficult to believe that it is in the best sellers and wonder if most people bought it because they were hoodwinked (like me) by the favourable reviews. Off to the charity shop with this one.

19 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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P. Brooks

Only the Half of it!

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 14 juin 2019

Achat vérifié

This is a passionate critique of the "Justice" System in the UK. It is well written and I learned a lot. But, in truth, it is only the half of it! The author seems to believe that pouring more money into the system will solve the terrible slippage of standards and injustices that are now rampant throughout every part of British Law ranging from the Police, through Solicitors and Barristers, to the Judiciary and up to the House of Lords, who today mostly consist of corrupt Has-been Party Hacks.
More money may help, but the system is so corroded that it is unlikely to help much, and could make it worse in some respects. The Writer talks of the conscientious men and women who are doing their best in a failing Establishment. I am sure some must exist, but the Author seems oblivious of how pervasive the concept of "Guilty until proven innocent," has become at every level within the Courts, and how obsequious lawyers apparently have to be towards judges in order to protect their careers.
In '97 I was prosecuted for going through a red light. The Duty Solicitor assured me I would be let off with a warning because the light had stuck on red. The Copper who booked me at least had the integrity to say I had proceeded through a stuck light, and did so with great care. Prosecutor was a decent fellow, and did ask that I be let off with a warning. The Judge was incredibly rude to the female Duty Solicitor (visibly crushing her) and to me. He also testified against me from the Bench (a really serious judicial offence), thereby also effectively calling both the Prosecutor and the Copper who booked me liars, and he fined me a vast sum. (The Prosecutor sought me out afterwards o apologise.)
This Judge later rose high in the ranks of the Judiciary and several police officers confirmed to me that he was a Bully and well known for erratic judgements; moreover, a couple of them said he was corrupt.
The consequence of this was I, a lay person, determined to learn enough law to defend myself in future. I began to visit the Courts and sit in the Public Gallery during mostly lessor, i.e., minor criminal or traffic infringement Trials. I am appalled at the farce of so-called justice in Britain today. The attitude that the Defendant is guilty until he/she proves herself innocent is almost universal. Solicitors in general and Duty Solicitors in particular, do nothing to make the Prosecution prove their claim. (It is a fundamental of Law that he who makes the claim must prove the claim.) Prosecutors regularly twist that against the Defendant to get the poor ignorant schmuck to claim he/she is innocent—so prove it! A Defence Barrister is supposed to put a stop to that nonsense, and point out that the Prosecution is making a prior claim of guilt—so prove it. I don't know about the higher courts, but this rarely happens in the lower courts.
I was lucky that both the policeman who booked me, and the prosecutor were honest. From the Public Gallery, I have witnessed clear and blatant lying by law enforcement officers which the Defence never challenged and Judges ignored. These behaviours have been so pervasive in my experience, that it must be universal - yet although the Secret Barrister touches on it, the Author appears to recoil. It is a burning coal too hot to handle for the Secret Barrister.
Throwing more money at the Justice System won't solve this form of corrosion. Unfortunately, I don't have any good suggestions of what will — but awareness helps, and a Defendant who is prepared to politely but firmly stand up for himself against the all too deliberate intimidation, including 'Contempt of Court' threats from the Bench, is far more likely to prevail than if he depends on a Duty Solicitor/ legal Aid.
It is necessary to have a good grasp of Civil and Criminal Rules of Procedure. Courts—rightly—will not give any leeway to self-representing Defendants who breach the Rules; but the Profession is often lax about enforcing Rules of Procedure against its own.
These are all aspects of the corrosion missed by The Secret Barrister. One does not have to be a fan of Tommy Robinson or Julian Assange to be concerned at several egregious abuses of Procedure by the Crown—even in the high public profile actions against these two Personalities. Abuses are even more common in 'low-profile' cases. Personally, I would never go to court as a Defendant nowadays, without arranging for several friends to attend as witnesses in the Public Gallery. Court Reporters should be a bulwark against abuses but, for reasons best known to themselves, seldom are. People often ask: 'What can we do to protect our diminishing freedoms?'
A good start would be to allocate some time to visiting courts and sitting in the usually empty Public Gallery as an observer. I have noted—Assange & Co., notwithstanding—Judges tend to be noticeably more diligent about their duties when seats in the Public Gallery are occupied by silent, well-dressed people. Judges have often sent the Usher to grill me as to who I am and why I am there. I smile and decline to be drawn, saying only that 'I am an interested observer.' It is amusing to watch the confused and nervous reactions such a response elicits.

18 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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PauloMunich

Interesting

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 5 septembre 2018

Achat vérifié

The subtitle of the book 'stories of the law and how it is broken' is misleading. If you are expecting Rumpole of the Bailey type stories you are going to be very disappointed. The book first describes the English legal system from a beginner's point of view. I think most people don't realise that most of the magistrates in England (also known as Justices of the Peace) have no legal education - it seems strange that we entrust decisions about the law to those without detailed knowledge of it. It goes on to explain what the author regards as the inadequacies of the system - mainly due to government cutbacks. He does rant rather a lot about the same things and it becomes a bit repetitive. He also claims that barristers are poorly paid, which seems hard to believe. He also undeservedly accuses one magistrate of being racist for pointing out a worrying problem facing the UK (page 59). It's not an exciting read but you will probably learn something.

10 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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ann kelly

Too technical for the ordinary punter!

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 3 avril 2019

Achat vérifié

I suppose this book is fine if you are studying law but for the ordinary 'joe soap' it is far too technical. I had hoped there would be more interesting case studies alas no! I am sure it serves a purpose though in highlighting what needs to be done.

17 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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Dr Ruth Keir

Hard work for little reward

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 29 décembre 2018

Achat vérifié

I thought this book would be like the legal version of Adam Kay’s tales of junior doctoring . It wasn’t . I found it really hard work ploughing through long winded explanations of why the legal system works the way it does . I was expecting more case stories and anecdotes which didn’t materialise . It was useful to learn about the glaring problems with lack of legally qualified people serving as magistrates / legal aid cuts / massive blunders in police and CPS work etc but I had limited sympathy as the NHS is just the same at present as are pretty much all public services . All in all not the read I was expecting , probably useful if you’re studying English law but as a layperson reading for pleasure - in Scotland nonetheless - it was time I’ll never get back . My cat is demonstrating how stimulating a read this book is.

21 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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Nicholas Allen

Everyone should read this book

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 14 mai 2018

Achat vérifié

The criminal justice system is at crisis point because of the cuts in legal aid. The Secret Barrister makes it plain that society must be served by an effective, properly funded CJS. The lay reader will find this book most helpful in understanding the practical application of the law. The case histories are fascinating and the accounts of miscarriages of justice terrifying. Particularly worrying are the numerous accounts of cases going awry through the failure to disclose evidence, which is often caused because all parties: the CPS, the police, solicitors and barristers are overstretched and under resourced. The Secret Barrister writes with passion and great clarity. He/she shows great compassion for those caught in the cogs of the system whose best interests cannot be guaranteed until it is properly resourced.

6 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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Theo Wallace

Slog of a read

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 13 août 2019

Achat vérifié

Bought because Amazon recommended due to reading "this is going to hurt". Sadly this book doesn't grab you in the same way Adam Kay's does. The writer is anonymous and its hard to connect with them because of this. The book doesn't contain many case stories and there is a lot of jargon you are expected to know. It is a hard read which is drawn out in places. I sadly couldn't muster the energy to finish this book and wish I read the reviews beforehand.

14 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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Daryl

Dull and too technical for the normies

Commenté au Royaume-Uni le 17 juillet 2019

Achat vérifié

Bought this out of sheer curiosity, but feel like it should have come with a warning that unless you are aufait with the legal system or you happy to listen to someone whittle on speaking as if they are in an 17th century play.

Won't be finishing it, and wish I never bothered.

12 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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5 étoiles		68%
4 étoiles		17%
3 étoiles		9%
2 étoiles		3%
1 étoile		3%

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