mike_field
Vital Football Legend
Justice of the Peace could banish the Bible from UK courts
MAGISTRATES are considering whether to scrap Britain’s religious oath in which defendants and witnesses swear on the Bible to tell the truth.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/434864/Justice-of-the-Peace-could-banish-the-Bible-from-UK-courts
-----
Personally I think this is ridiculous. You have the choice and I spent time on a jury a few years back. If you feel the need to swear the fact you'll act truthfully and in light of the evidence based on a book, so be it.
Irrelevant yes, outdated yes, totally naff all to the overriding duty of a juror yes. But is it really an issue?
Of far more importance in the legal system is outdated, unelected judges who seem to make the law up as they go, and barristers and legal staff who regularly seem to forget that their first duty is towards aiding the judge, aiding the truth, not their clients and spuriously inventing stories in the hope of finding reasonable doubt.
Deal with that first for me please.
There is far more wrong with our legal system than whether witnesses and jurors swear on a Bible.
But hey it got his name into the press and I'm talking about the proposer.
So let's not let this become another religious debate, why not have a genuine debate on what the legal system needs to improve and gain faith back.
Afterall, in footballing terms we all know what happened to Joey Barton with his on pitch and off pitch exploits. The FA and the Law dealt with him - remember libel people.
But Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Madine has just been sentenced for 18 months after committing two instances of off pitch assault in the eyes of the law.
Not alone, and in Madine's case they are talking about his career being over but that wasn't the case for Marlon King's convictions, and he enjoys a fruitful and quieter career now.
There's also Lee Hughes and his previous problems in the past.
Again folks, consider libel, but these are matters of truth and can be mentioned.
In comparison to Barton, has Madine been treated harshly? Is it ridiculous you even entertain that question given what they both did but the subsequent punishment handed out?
Is it right even footballers get a second chance, but in some cases, how many second chances does even a professional footballer deserve?
Many high profile managers and footballers get off with speeding offences thanks to the self styled, and very expensive lawyer I won't name, who taught his own daughter a lesson when she got coped.
Can league one players or normal folk afford that level of legal commitment?
So with everything addressing our legal system at the moment, especially the oft coalition talk of cutting legal aid (which has been falling year on year for at least five years to my knowledge) but you're meant to ignore that, really, swearing on the Bible is anything more than a distraction?
Discuss.
Please - otherwise I'll be lonely.
MAGISTRATES are considering whether to scrap Britain’s religious oath in which defendants and witnesses swear on the Bible to tell the truth.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/434864/Justice-of-the-Peace-could-banish-the-Bible-from-UK-courts
-----
Personally I think this is ridiculous. You have the choice and I spent time on a jury a few years back. If you feel the need to swear the fact you'll act truthfully and in light of the evidence based on a book, so be it.
Irrelevant yes, outdated yes, totally naff all to the overriding duty of a juror yes. But is it really an issue?
Of far more importance in the legal system is outdated, unelected judges who seem to make the law up as they go, and barristers and legal staff who regularly seem to forget that their first duty is towards aiding the judge, aiding the truth, not their clients and spuriously inventing stories in the hope of finding reasonable doubt.
Deal with that first for me please.
There is far more wrong with our legal system than whether witnesses and jurors swear on a Bible.
But hey it got his name into the press and I'm talking about the proposer.
So let's not let this become another religious debate, why not have a genuine debate on what the legal system needs to improve and gain faith back.
Afterall, in footballing terms we all know what happened to Joey Barton with his on pitch and off pitch exploits. The FA and the Law dealt with him - remember libel people.
But Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Madine has just been sentenced for 18 months after committing two instances of off pitch assault in the eyes of the law.
Not alone, and in Madine's case they are talking about his career being over but that wasn't the case for Marlon King's convictions, and he enjoys a fruitful and quieter career now.
There's also Lee Hughes and his previous problems in the past.
Again folks, consider libel, but these are matters of truth and can be mentioned.
In comparison to Barton, has Madine been treated harshly? Is it ridiculous you even entertain that question given what they both did but the subsequent punishment handed out?
Is it right even footballers get a second chance, but in some cases, how many second chances does even a professional footballer deserve?
Many high profile managers and footballers get off with speeding offences thanks to the self styled, and very expensive lawyer I won't name, who taught his own daughter a lesson when she got coped.
Can league one players or normal folk afford that level of legal commitment?
So with everything addressing our legal system at the moment, especially the oft coalition talk of cutting legal aid (which has been falling year on year for at least five years to my knowledge) but you're meant to ignore that, really, swearing on the Bible is anything more than a distraction?
Discuss.
Please - otherwise I'll be lonely.