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Of vulnerable witnesses and children

Date:24 MAR 2015
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Solicitor Advocate

Hearing from children and evidence of vulnerable witnesses: working group

Last summer’s interim report from the ‘vulnerable witnesses and children’ working group has now produced its Report of the Vulnerable Witnesses and Children Working Group February 2015 (published in March 2015 by Judiciary of England and Wales). To its original title must now be added ‘intimidated witnesses’ (as will be explained). Of family procedure’s three hot topics – vulnerable witnesses transparency and legal aid (funding) only the witnesses aspect is considered though each might be thought to be interrelated – especially children and transparency and legal aid and intimidated witnesses. For example where children are parties to proceedings legal aid will not be an issue; whereas for many ‘vulnerable’ individuals legal aid will by no means be guaranteed; and for ‘intimidated witness’ there may be a call for the Attorney-General to be involved.

The interim report of the working group can be found at here. My own response to that interim report is here.
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Read the full article here.