The forms should be returned to S.J.A.
P.O. Box 7740, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, DG11 1WS.14
February 2008
New Executive Committee member
At their meeting today, the SJA Executive committee accepted the nomination of Andrew Leven to represent the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkelvin. Welome, Andrew.
17
January 2008
Communications Committee
The SJA Communications and Membership committee held their third meeting on 17 January 2008. Progress on several matters was noted and it was agreed to recommend to the executive that we invite the preferred tenderer to create our new website. The Committee appreciated a visit from Sheriff Frank Crowe who demonstrated the new JSC intranet site.
16 January 2008
Justices
Development Committee
The Justices Development Committee met on 16 January 2008. Members agreed to encourage participation in the consultation exercise currently being carried out with regard to the proposed appraisal scheme. They also discussed with Sheriff Frank Crowe a number of required updates to the Justice of the Peace Court Bench Book and undertook to comment for him on draft sections of the Legal Adviser's Manual. Finally they learned of the progress made by sheriffdom training and appraisal committees across the country in planning their training programme for the year ahead. The next meeting of the group is scheduled for 19 March.
December
2007
Scheme for appraisal of JPs
The consultation paper has now been issued to individual Justices of the Peace and relevant bodies in Scotland. Any JP who has not received a copy should consult the December e-mail update newsletter from the Criminal Justice Directorate for details of how to access it or email the Secretary of the SJA for details. Comments should be made by Friday 25th January 2008.
10
December
Benchbook published and distributed
The Justice of the Peace Court Bench Book has now been distributed to JPs and is available through the Judicial Studies Committee web site - click here - supplied for personal use. It was prepared by Sherriff Frank Crowe and Ewan Hawthorn, JP and thanks are expressed to the Justices and members of the Scottish Justices Association who read and made comments on the drafts.
27th
November
Reception for Shrieval and JP Bench
Preparing for 10 December
Reform under way
A letter in
mid November from the Scottish Government drew attention to the various parts
of the Criminal
Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 which come into effect on 10
December. This includes provision for new JP appointments to take effect as
well as various procedural changes, e.g for bail, sentencing powers. etc. The
commencement order is attached
or can be accessed here.
15
November
SJA Executive committee meeting
The SJA Executive
committee met on 15 November 2007. Various matters were considered including
the imminent consultation on the proposed JP appraisal system, a response to
Legal Aid Board proposals and reports from the Refresher training events. Proposals
for a new web site were considered and enquiries would continue with two possible
web site providers. The committee also welcomed the recommendation of a web
site advising on sentencing options in Scotland:
http://www.sentencinginformationscotland.com.
26
October
SJA Justices Development committee
The Justices Development Committee met on 26 October. It was updated on the progress of the Appraisal Design Group and was provided with current proposed documentation. It provided comments to be passed to the Design Group. The committee also reviewed and evaluated the three Refresher training courses to date and arranged for their comments to be passed to Sheriff Crowe. Finally it sought to find out the membership of the four sheriffdom Training & Appraisal committees announced to date and considered what its role might be with respect to them.
15
October
Communications and Membership Committee
The SJA Communications and Membership committee held their second meeting on 15 October 2007. Discussion focussed on the production of the quarterly newsletter and the email updates to members. Further investigation has to be done into the future of the website. The Committee also decided to recommend to the Executive that its name be shortened to Communications Committee
21-23
September
First Refresher Training Event at Aviemore
The first Refresher training event for JPs was held in Aviemore from 21 to 23 September. Andrew Webster, one of the Tayside, Central & Fife representatives on the SJA Executive Committee, represented the SJA and co-hosted the weekend with Sheriff Frank Crowe from the Judicial Studies Committee, the body organising the training.
The training was challenging and rewarding and was enjoyed by the participants. Time was taken to explain the process leading towards unification and delegates who had come to the week end with a certain apprehension, left reassured. The four Sheriffs who attended the week end (all of whom were there from Friday evening to Sunday lunch) played a hands-on and integral part in the tutorials and workshops, again showing their commitment to the new role of JPs in the Scottish Courts. Overall, this was a productive and successful week end.
31
August
SJA Executive Committee
The SJA Executive
committee met on 31 August 2007. Reports were received on progress in the appointment
of JPs, the JP Bench Book, refresher training arrangements and the Sheriffdom
committees.
A letter is being sent concerning Legal Aid issues in the District Court and
consideration is being given to a possible extension of sentencing powers in
the courts.
The next meeting is on Thursday 15 November 2007 in Edinburgh.
10
August
Justices Development Committee
The Justices Development Committee met with Sheriff Frank Crowe on 10 August. Discussion focussed on specific matters in connection with refresher training courses and also more general training matters such as competences, bench book, appraisal, signing duties and the provision of hand-outs.
20
July
Call for newsletter articles
At its meeting today, the Communications and Membership Committee started preparations for the first SJA newsletter. Articles from members are very welcome - cases, queries, comments and in particular any responses to the article in the last newsletter about Lay and Local.
20
July
Communications and Membership Committee meeting
The SJA Communications and Membership committee met on 20 July. Discussion centred on how best to ensure good communication within and outwith the Association. Plans were made to issue the first SJA Newsletter in the Autumn and further thought will be given to the type of website which will best serve our purposes.
27
June
Executive Committee meeting
The SJA Executive committee
met in Edinburgh. Reports were received on progress in the establishment of
the Sheriffdom committees and the support to the recruitment and training of
new JPs. Sheriff Crowe of the Judicial Studies Committee (JSC) joined the meeting
and discussed the proposed programme for the Refresher Training events and the
establishment of a JSC sub-committee to support JP training. The committee noted
the imminent consultation on changes in Summary Justice which will affect legal
aid and various summary case procedures.
15
June
Chairman's committee
meeting
The office bearers (with apologies from Philip Murray) and the chairmen of the two committees met in Edinburgh. The issues discussed included encouraging communication with members through e-mails and the website, development of the budget and the discussions of the recent Justices Development Committee.
12
June
Justices
Development Committee (JDC) meeting
The first meeting of the committee considered the remit of the committee and the need to build links with the Sheriffdom Training and Appraisal Committees. Various work in progress was discussed including the Bench Book and an interest in finding out about individual learning packages. The 3rd e-mail from Richard Wilkins was discussed in relation to minimum training and bench-sitting requirements and potential need to re-visit maximum expectations.
In regards to the refresher training courses this autumn, the JDC will contact Sheriff Frank Crowe on possible input from the SJA.
25
May
First meeting of the Executive committee
The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Scottish Justices Association was held in Edinburgh on 25 May 2007. The office-bearers were elected (see who's who). Two committees were established: the Justices Development Committee, chairman Graham Coe, and the Communications and Membership Committee, chairman Ian Smyth. The representation of Justices of the Peace on the various external committees were agreed.
It was noted that the majority of the Justices expected to take up appointments had joined the Association and that there was representation from all Sheriffdoms other than Glasgow and Strathkelvin and, the Chairman undertook to contact the Justices Committees in those areas to invite nominations to the Executive Committee to represent that Sheriffdom.
It was agreed that the
office-bearers would meet in mid June to progress some matters including development
of a budget, establishment of a bank account and transfer of the DCA coat of
arms to the Association.
11
May
The
new Scottish Justices Association formed
At its Extraordinary General meeting on 11 May, the members of the District Courts Association approved a motion to dissolve the association, to transfer the assets to the Scottish Justices Association (SJA) and that the SJA be formed in accordance with the constitution agreed in January 2007. Provisons to assist court staff's continuting involvement in consultations was also agreed. The first meeting of the SJA committee will take place on 25th May 2007.
3
May
Committee for proposed new Scottish
Justices Association
The following candidates were successful:
Grampian Highlands and Islands Sheriffdom:
Rodger Neilson, Susan Kirkwood and Allan ClasperLothian and Borders Sheriffdom
A Philip Murray, J Robin Wild and Graham Coe
South Strathclyde Sheriffdom
Johan Findlay, Malcolm Macaskill and PG RossTayside, Central and Fife Sheriffdom
Robin M White, Thomas Dodds and Andrew M WebsterNorth Strathclyde Sheriffdom (no election)
David Shepherd Grainger, Brian Ritchie and Ian Smyth
There were no candidates in the Glasgow
and Strathkelvin Sheriffdom.
The votes for the committee members for the new Scottish Justices Association were counted today under the supervision of David Kemp as Returning Officer. Letters are being sent to the candidates to inform them of the results.
The Judicial Studies Committee today sent a schedule of refresher training sessions which are being arranged from September to November 2007. A copy of the letter is available to JPs and court staff via the members area of the web site.
Philip Murray, Vice-Chairman, today paid tribute to Marlyne Parker who has resigned from the DCA and as Chairman due to slow recovery from an operation. Philip said: in her short time in the chair, Marlyne showed her commitment to represent the members of the DCA and keep everyone informed. We all wish her well in the future.
The second update on Lay Justice Reform was issued by Marlyne Parker at the request of the Scottish Executive Justice Department to Justices of the Peace today. Copies have been distributed to the JP Committees in Scotland via their representatives in the organisation and a copy is available in the members' area of the web site..
Voting papers for 4 out of the 6 Sheriffdoms started arriving today with those Justices who had applied to become members of the new Association. The voting papers must be returned by noon on 30 April 2007. Elections were not required in North Strathclyde where there were 3 valid nominations, and no nominations were received for Glasgow and Strathkelvin.
Any contributions for the May issue of the association’s newsletter should be in the hands of the newsletter editor by 27 March 2007
An update on Lay Justice Reform was issued by Marlyne Parker at the request of the Scottish Executive Justice Department to Justices of the Peace today. Copies have been distributed to the JP Committees in Scotland via their representatives in the organisation. more…
At their meeting on 1 February, the Communications Committee produced the letters and forms which will used to confirm membership of and nominate committee members for the new association of Justices of the Peace. more…
The Training Committee met in Edinburgh today with Sheriff Frank Crowe (Judicial Studies Committee) and Richard Wilkins (Scottish Executive) to discuss the training for Justices following the Lay Justice Reform. The next meeting of the Training Committee is scheduled for 8th March.
Invitations were issued today via the courts’ legal assessors to Justices and court staff to register for the members (secure) area of the web site. This area is restricted to JPs and staff that support the District Courts and will contain documents concerning the association, the reform process and information of general interest e.g. appeal cases and training materials.
At their meeting today, the Policy Committee of the DCA endorsed the draft Interim Constitution for the new association of Justices of the Peace. This latest draft incorporated many suggestions forwarded from the Justices Committees around Scotland. The Communications Committee will now start the processes to create the association with a meeting to establish the association proposed for May 2007.
19th
January 2007
Policy Committee meeting and EGM, Edinburgh
The policy committee of the DCA met in Edinburgh in the morning of 19th January and an Extraordinary General Meeting was held in the afternoon. more…
At its meeting today, the Communications Committee started preparations for the next newsletter which it is hoped to issue by the time of the Full Association meeting in early May. Any contributions by members should be received by 27th March. The editor’s contact details can be found on the back page of the November 2006 DCA newsletter.
Letters were sent today to all current presiding JPs inviting them to join the new Scottish Justices Association and to nominate the first committee. The nomination forms (to elect 3 JPs from each Sheriffdom) have to be returned by 31 March 2007 and each nomination must be supported by two Justices who have applied to become members of the new association. You can obtain a copy of the letter here.
The interim constitution for the association was approved by the District Courts Association at its meeting in January and can be downloaded here.
If any current presiding Justice
of the Peace in Scotland has not received a letter within 7 days, they should
contact the Chair of the Communications committee. See details below.
The forms should be returned to S.J.A.
P.O. Box 7740, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire, DG11 1WS.
If any presiding JP has queries about the letter and forms they can contact Johan or the following members of the Communications Committee.
Graham Coe - 01620 822 322
Jim Fleming - 01501 821122
Susan Kirkwood - 01224 630979
Andrew Lorrain-Smith - 01875 820 810 or 07775 692 146
An update on Lay Justice Reform was issued by Marlyne Parker at the request of the Scottish Executive Justice Department to Justices of the Peace today. Copies have been distributed to the JP Committees in Scotland via their representatives in the organisation.
This was issued following a meeting on 9th February 2007 of the Lay Justice Planning and Development Group (formerly known as the Lay Justice and Court Unification Reference Group) on which JPs and legal assessors are represented.
The update describes the some of the most recent developments in the changes to lay justice, and outlines what is likely to happen over the coming months. Subsequent e-mails (which will probably be sent every 4-6 weeks) are likely to provide updated information about the progress of the planned changes, and to provide more detail on specific aspects of them.
At their meeting
on 1 February, the Communications Committee produced the letters and forms which
will used to confirm membership of and nominate committee members for the new
association of Justices of the Peace. All
JPs who are currently presiding on the bench will be sent information in early
March with a date for return of membership forms and nomination papers in late
March.