The last twenty years have seen an unprecedented rise in the use of secret courts or ‘closed material proceedings’ largely brought about in response to the need to protect intelligence sources in the fight against terrorism. This has called into question the commitment of legal systems to long-cherished principles of adversarial justice and due process. Foremost among the measures designed to minimise the prejudice caused to parties who have been excluded from such proceedings has been the use of ‘special advocates’ who are given access to sensitive national security material and can make representations to the court on behalf of excluded parties. Special advocates are now deployed across a range of administrative, civil and criminal proceedings in many common law jurisdictions including the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Australia. This book analyses the professional services special advocates offer across a range of different types of closed proceedings. Drawing on extensive interviews with special advocates and with lawyers and judges who have worked with them, the book examines the manner in which special advocates are appointed and supported, how their position differs from that of ordinary counsel within the adversarial system, and the challenges they face in the work that they do. Comparisons are made between different special advocate systems and with other models of security-cleared counsel, including that used in the United States, to consider what changes might be made to strengthen their adversarial role in closed proceedings. In making an assessment of the future of special advocacy, the book argues that there is a need to reconceptualise the unique role that special advocates play in the administration of justice.

This book explores the role of special advocates in different types of proceedings where national security has provided the justification for closed proceedings.

A comprehensive, detailed and updated account of UK national security law in all its aspects, National Security Law, Procedure and Practice is the only book to collate and explain all the elements of law, both substantive and procedural, and the practical issues which may arise in national security litigation. The specialised nature of the subject makes this book a vital text, not only for those seeking an overview of national security law, but also for experienced practitioners instructed to act in proceedings in which national security issues may arise. The intense media and public scrutiny which accompanies many national security cases makes this book of interest to a wider audience seeking to understand the legal context of such cases. This new edition draws on the professional experience of a team of expert contributors and covers all recent legislation, case law and guidance. It provides a detailed explanation of the National Security Act 2023, which repeals and replaces the existing law relating to state threats. The new Act introduces significant new offences and executive powers, including the power to impose state threat prevention and investigation measures ('STPIMs'), and creates a new scheme for the registration of foreign political influence activities. The second edition also includes analysis of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Shamima Begum, which re-evaluates the respective roles of the government and the courts in national security matters and has ramifications throughout the work; a comprehensive explanation of the National Security and Investment Act 2021; a fully revised chapter on sanctions law; and an updated explanation of the continued impact of EU law on UK national security law. This second edition of National Security Law, Procedure and Practice will be an invaluable resource for judges, policymakers, legislators, oversight bodies, academic experts and students in a variety of legal fields.

Roberts and Zuckerman's Criminal Evidence is the eagerly-anticipated third of edition of the market-leading text on criminal evidence, fully revised to take account of developments in legislation, case-law, policy debates, and academic commentary during the decade since the previous edition was published.With an explicit focus on the rules and principles of criminal trial procedure, Roberts and Zuckerman's Criminal Evidence develops a coherent account of evidence law which is doctrinally detailed, securely grounded in a normative theoretical framework, and sensitive to the institutional and socio-legal factors shaping criminal litigation in practice. The book is designed to be accessible to the beginner, informative to the criminal court judge or legal practitioner, and thought-provoking to the advanced student and scholar: a textbook and monograph rolled into one.The book also provides an ideal disciplinary map and work of reference to introduce non-lawyers (including forensic scientists and other expert witnesses) to the foundational assumptions and technical intricacies of criminal trial procedure in England and Wales, and will be an invaluable resource for courts, lawyers and scholars in other jurisdictions seeking comparative insight and understanding of evidentiary regulation in the common law tradition.

Civil Procedure Rules at 20 is a collection of presentations and papers to mark the 20th anniversary of the CPR coming into force, many of which were delivered orally at the CPR at 20 Conference at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, at Mansfield College, Oxford, in 2019. The presentations and papers have been edited and extended to provide a permanent record available to a wider audience. The book is dedicated to examining key challenges and changes facing the civil justice system, marking the 20th anniversary of the current civil procedures governing civil litigation in England and Wales. It addresses a range of technical, political, and controversial subjects on access to justice and the rules governing civil litigation, including the digitization of the justice system and the future role of artificial intelligence; the emergence of class actions; disclosure rules and reform; restrictions on Judicial Review challenges to Government decisions; closed material proceedings; and efforts to make the costs of civil litigation more affordable and proportional, including the availability of legal aid. With a Foreword by Lord Briggs, the contributions come from those best qualified to tell this story, from senior judges, practitioners, and leading academic scholars each with their own unique perspective.