Tom Little QC appears in judicial review challenge of Lord Chief Justice’s decision to stop all jury trials because of COVID-19

Tom Little QC appeared in a judicial review hearing in the Divisional Court before Rafferty LJ and Sir Michael Supperstone (DAT v The Crown Court & Leeds & The Lord Chancellor, the DPP and The Lord Chief Justice).

The claim was based on three grounds. First that the Lord Chief Justice’s decision in March 2020 that no new jury trials should start was unlawful (b) that the decision to stop jury trials was not a good and sufficient cause to extend the Claimant’s custody time limit and (c) a Protocol issued by the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, the DPP and HMCTS fettered the discretion of the Crown Court Judge when considering the Claimant’s CTL extension. All three grounds for judicial review were rejected by the Court at the hearing. Reasons were given by the Court but a full judgment will be handed down subsequently. Tom Little QC represented the DPP at the judicial review hearing.