Description
Book SynopsisDo judges use the power of the state for the good of the nation? Or do they create new laws in line with their personal views? When newspapers reported a court ruling on Brexit, senior judges were shocked to see themselves condemned as enemies of the people. But that did not stop them ruling that an order made by the Queen on the advice of her prime minister was just 'a blank piece of paper'. Joshua Rozenberg, Britain's best-known commentator on the law, asks how the judges can maintain public confidence while making hard choices.
Trade Review"A brilliant, readable and timely survey of a topic of central importance in our troubled times. Joshua Rozenberg has produced a gripping account, including very recent material." Dinah Rose, QC, Blackstone Chambers "A very readable and engaging book which I'd certainly recommend to students as part of their introduction to common law. It uses high-profile cases to demonstrate how cautiously the judges proceed." Professor Dame Hazel Genn DBE QC (hon), University College London "Never before have our judges been under greater scrutiny. But what they do and how they do it remains mysterious to many. There is an urgency to the themes tackled in this book. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of this vital branch of government." Catherine Dobson, St Edmund's College, Cambridge "This is a book for lawyers, journalists, students and the concerned citizen. There is no more trusted and knowledgeable commentator than Joshua Rozenberg to hold up a mirror to the judges and to the public wherein each sees the other." Baroness Ruth Deech, DBE QC (hon) "This urgent and timely book is essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of our democracy and the proper role of the legal system within it. Through deft analysis of recent case law, Rozenberg comprehensively de-bunks the pernicious myth of an activist judiciary whose actions improperly impinge on the exercise of executive power." Dr Natalie Byrom, The Legal Education Foundation "Joshua Rozenberg's views are clear throughout this engaging study of the role of the judiciary in contemporary Britain. At times he seems positively prescient. We need this sort of contribution to our current and frenzied debates." Sara Nathan OBE, former Judicial Appointments Commissioner "An informed and entertaining account of the role of our judges in deciding sensitive cases by our pre-eminent legal commentator." Lord Pannick QC, Blackstone Chambers "A highly readable, hard-hitting and perceptive defence of our judges against the accusation that they are too activist. It should be read by anyone interested in this important constitutional question." Rt Hon Lord Dyson, former judge
Table of Contents1 New Readers Start Here; 2 The Miller Tale; 3 Creating Crimes; 4 Families and the Law; 5 The Right to Death; 6 Discerning and Discriminating; 7 Rites and Rights; 8 Privacy and the Press; 9 Access to Justice; 10 Friends, Actually
