Here's an interesting one
@Pale Rider and all you legal aficionados:
View: https://twitter.com/charlburybaggie/status/1240241479513235456?s=20
A defence lawyer appears to be going down with Covid19 and has been threatened with legal expenses by the judge if he doesn't turn up. The replies on twitter fit in two groups (i) barristers saying they'll appeal the fine pro bono (ii) people advising him to go to court and sneeze on the judge......
It's a district judge which tells us the case is being heard in a magistrates' court.
In that court there is strong guidance to district judges/magistrates to avoid adjourning cases almost at all costs.
If a defence solicitor cannot get to a hearing, through illness or any other reason, he would be expected to provide cover.
That would usually be by another solicitor from his firm, but if none is available he would be expected to pass the case on to another firm, even though that loses him the income from it.
The defence solicitor in this case will know all that, and the DJ will know he knows.
Magistrates' courts are also even more of a closed shop than crown courts.
Everybody knows everybody else, often for many years.
Each judge and lawyer will acquire a reputation.
The judge in this case does look to have been a bit sharp, but it may be the defence solicitor is known to be a stroke puller, or known to be a bit casual when meeting his procedural obligations.
Another point is the district judge in any magistrates' court is the most senior legal figure on the bench, and the only one with legal training.
This gives him an unofficial leadership role which tends to make him more of a stickler for correct procedure than the lay magistrates, who are often too frightened of their own shadows to keep the defence - and prosecution - lawyers in line.
