The Criminal Procedure Rules govern the way criminal cases are managed, and set out the processes of the criminal courts.
The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee advises on these rules and is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
Ifj have been in discussions with Lord Justice Fulford, Chair of the Committee, and the MoJ. We have been represented at these meetings by Catherine O’Neill,
Nicola Lewis and Paula Backen.
Catherine also represented IfJ, by invitation, at the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee on the 19th July and spoke to a paper IfJ submitted on the experience of vulnerable defendants. The committee then asked the MOJ to review the situation and the Ministry have agreed to start a year review.
Find out more about the Committee, its responsibilities, priorities and membership here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/criminal-procedure-rule-committee