Search: peter murphy
Sex crimes, murder and the death penalty: “A Matter for the Jury”, by Peter Murphy
Reviewed by Paul Magrath When the life of an accused man hangs in the balance, even a point of statutory construction can be turned to nail-biting drama. In A Matter for the Jury, Peter Murphy continues the story of Ben Schroeder, a young barrister in the 1960s, with a tense account of his first murder… Continue reading
Test of Resolve, by Peter Murphy
Reviewed by Paul Magrath Stolen elections, military coups, kidnapping, extortion and terror. We may think these things only happen in unstable third world countries, but Peter Murphy shows how close to home – to the White House itself – these things could come. In his first political thriller, REMOVAL, Murphy showed us how a presidential… Continue reading
Sex, lies and pink tape in the age of scandal: “A Higher Duty” by Peter Murphy
In an exclusive gentlemen’s club in London, a group of men are discussing the future of their business. They are barristers and the question they must decide is who to keep – and who to keep out – as fellow tenants of their chambers. Two of them have pupils who would like to join, but… Continue reading
Blowing the whistle for justice: could a fictitious judge have inspired a supreme new precedent?
When retired judge Peter Murphy invited Baroness Hale of Richmond to write the foreword to his latest collection of comic stories about a fictitious judge, he can have little thought that one of the fictional cases she would be introducing might have striking parallels with a real one coming before the Supreme Court.… Continue reading
Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR, 11 November 2022
This week’s roundup of legal news includes politics, social media, and inquiries; a literary judge; and some recent case law and commentary.
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Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR — 3 June 2019
Welcome back: our first roundup of the Trinity Term features Boris Johnson in the dock, questions around crime stats, crowdfunding civil litigation, lawtech, and legal professions.… Continue reading
Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR – 21 May 2018
This week’s roundup of legal news and comment includes the match made in heaven, or at any rate Windsor – among other, less frothy content, such as forensic science, courts, coroners and end of life decisions in the family courts. Royal Wedding Legal commentary Lest readers might think we had succumbed to the national hysteria… Continue reading
Weekly Notes: legal news from ICLR – 8 May 2015
This week’s roundup of legal news and events concentrates initially on the General Election, just in case you’ve not read anything about it anywhere else. Having regard to the Conservatives’ unexpected victory, what might it mean for law and justice? And we extend a nervous welcome to our new Lord Chancellor, Michael Gove. But first… …… Continue reading
The Children Act by Ian McEwan
Reviewed by Paul Magrath Ian McEwan’s latest novel, The Children Act, is named after a statute; and the story it tells is about a High Court judge. But its true purpose seems to be to provide a literary appreciation of the art of writing judgments. Not just any old judgments, though. For McEwan seems… Continue reading
Judge Murphy’s ruling in R v D (R) on wearing of niqaab in court
A Muslim woman appearing as a defendant in the Crown Court could be required to remove her niqaab when giving evidence, though she was free to wear it during other parts of the trial. To limit the restriction on her religious freedom, she would be permitted to give evidence from behind a screen, shielding her… Continue reading