News Archive

A group of researchers at the University of Sussex are interested in understanding legally trained perspectives on sentencing. They would like to invite you to take part in a short (less than 20-minute) study to advance our understanding of sentencing decision-making....

Book here   Don’t Look Back in Anger: A Focus on the Future of Criminal Justice In a city where music shaped a generation and courtrooms have shaped the law, we gather to explore what lies ahead for criminal justice. This year’s CLSA Conference carries the...

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is undertaking research into how solicitors find and recommend barristers, the factors that influence their choices, and how they work with barristers following a client referral. The research is being delivered independently by the...

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden and untimely passing of committee member and colleague Simon King. Simon joined the CLSA committee in 2017 and throughout his time with us was a voice of reasoned arguments, considered views and strong intellect. He...

INFORMATION & CONSENT SHEET You are being invited to take part in a research study to further our understanding of sentencing decision-making. Thank you for carefully reading this information sheet, a copy of which you can keep for your records. This study is...

The Sentencing Council has today published a significantly revised Imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline. This can be found here on our website. The Imposition guideline is one of the most important of all the Sentencing Council’s guidelines. It...

The Sentencing Council has published a package of new and revised motoring-related guidelines. These can be found here alongside the consultation response document, which sets out the changes the Council has made to the draft guidelines it consulted on in 2024. The...

The independent Sentencing Council has published two new guidelines for sentencing offenders convicted of blackmail, kidnap or false imprisonment. The new guidelines are the first for these offences. They have been developed through consultation to help judges...

You can read the CLSA submission here and the CLSA Pilot Paper here

The Sentencing Council has published, in accordance with section 120 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, a sentencing guideline for offences of strangulation and suffocation which will come into effect on 1 January 2025.  This follows a consultation which took place...

Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board (CLAAB) annual report 2024 This is the first CLAAB annual report, prepared by the Chair and independent members of the CLAAB, and presented to the Lord Chancellor. The report sets out the CLAAB’s view of the criminal legal aid system...

Ministry of Justice, Legal Aid Agency and The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP - Published 14 November 2024 Criminal legal aid will be bolstered by £24 million, as part of government work to tackle crisis in the justice system and keep courts running • additional funding for...

Dear all Please find here Guidance for legal practitioners on DAPO pilot - October 2024, and a Letter to legal profession bodies - DAPO pilot - October 2024 with details of the training event on 11 November, 12:30 – 14:00. As always, we would be extremely grateful if...

If you have already obtained your Court ID Card which is due to expire on the 1st December 2024  you can renew it here

Richard Atkinson speech to CLSA conference

CLSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE & AGM – FRIDAY 4th OCTOBER 2024 As we head in the week of our conference we wanted to set out some final details. Registration starts at 9:30 on Friday 4th October, and we aim to finish out packed programme by 4:30pm We are now SOLD OUT...

As many of you will have seen the tender process for new Crime Contract has now opened. This new contract is loosely based on the 2017 contract but there are significant differences, not least of which is the fact the contract is a much longer 10 year commitment...

The Sentencing Council’s fourth annual consultation on miscellaneous amendments to guidelines opens today. The Council is proposing a series of changes designed to bring greater clarity and consistency to guidelines and reflect developments in legislation. The...

Section 46 PACE_Open Letter to NPCC

Click to download a copy Open letter to Government Ministry Of Justice, 102 Petty France, London, SE1H 9AJ 5 August 2024 Dear Sirs RE: RESPONSE TO PUBLIC DISORDER Like the rest of the country the CLSA membership and CLSA committee are horrified and deeply concerned...

Following a number of meetings, not involving the CLSA, a working group has come up with guidance on the use of Voluntary Interviews that has the support of the NPCC and College of Policing. We have been asked to make members aware of this and it can be accessed here

When Operation Early Dawn was instigated at short notice many Criminal Defence Solicitors were concerned that if a client, charged at the police station and refused bail, could not be brought before the next sitting of the Magistrates Court then continued detention...

URGENT CLSA RELEASE -14/05/2024 We have been informed this evening that the Lord Chancellor is triggering an emergency measure, Operation Early Dawn, to deal with the worsening problem of the prison population.  Details are somewhat lacking but it appears to be an...

Miscellaneous amendments coming into effect On 1 April 2024, changes made to a number of sentencing guidelines in response to the Council’s 2023 Miscellaneous amendments consultation will come into effect. The amendments, which apply to both magistrates’ court and...

Following feedback from defence practitioners, HMCTS has improved the digitised Preparation for Effective Trial (PET) and Better Case Management (BCM) forms on Common Platform. They’re making changes in 2 releases. The first set of improvements went live Monday 18...

The Sentencing Council has published details of amendments it will be making to a number of sentencing guidelines following consultation. The changes apply to guidelines in both magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court and will come into force on 1 April 2024. The...

The Sentencing Council is consulting on six new and revised sentencing guidelines for motoring offences in England and Wales. The draft guidelines cover offences committed by people driving vehicles without the owner’s consent, vehicle registration fraud and driver...

Click here to read the document To be paid in full for your work under the Standard Crime Contract, the Legal Aid Agency requires that you follow contractual requirements and the Remuneration Regulations in relation to the accuracy of costs claimed. The purpose of...