The official Cork court report thread.

[dennisfallen]

So the guards can prosecute someone and they have no possibility of a defence?

Yeah, I can't see that being abused at all at all...

Aren't you entitled to defend yourself?

 

[Matlock]

Aren't you entitled to defend yourself?

You are, but most people would not have the ability to do so.

 

[TheOutdoorThreadmill]

Ive a more head on approach to FLA
If found guilty on more than 3 occasions of any criminal activity
No further FLA whatsoever

More of a headless

 

[Matlock]

Like free legal aid?

I was thinking more of FIS.

 

[dennisfallen]

I was thinking more of FIS.

I'm afraid people with multiple convictions are treating the FLA like FIS. It maddens me that they can come back to the well so many times without any threat of it costing them a cent. It should be withdrawn if being abused.

 

[Matlock]

I'm afraid people with multiple convictions are treating the FLA like FIS. It maddens me that they can come back to the well so many times without any threat of it costing them a cent. It should be withdrawn if being abused.

The purpose of FLA is to ensure that everyone (who is at risk of a jail sentence at any rate) is able to access a fair defence.

Putting limits on its use means that we are deciding that only some people are entitled to the presumption of innocence. I think that is an extremely bad idea and ripe for misuse.

I also don't think that people wouldn't commit crime if they thought they would have to pay for their own defence. Most people who commit offences don't think about the consequences of getting caught, either because they are not considering consequences at all or because they don't believe they will be caught.

Edit- I have posted this before but FWIW, I think the current free legal aid system is stupid. We should have public defenders, employed full time by the state rather than paying private solicitors/barristers by the case. It would be cheaper and far more efficient as a use of resources and court time.

 

[dennisfallen]

Isn't everyone granted and entitled to the presumption of innocence?
Regarding the not being caught bit, surely anyone with 100 or 200 convictions must realise that they're not very good at what they're up to. Also why should the poor fuckers that get up every day at 06:30 pay for a shower of c***s ( and I'm referring to the people mentioned above)on the dole (with zero intention of ever coming off it), thieving, assaulting, bleeding the FLA dry,and basically making life miserable for the 99% who just want to have a life?

 

[Matlock]

Isn't everyone granted and entitled to the presumption of innocence?
Regarding the not being caught bit, surely anyone with 100 or 200 convictions must realise that they're not very good at what they're up to. Also why should the poor fuckers that get up every day at 06:30 pay for a shower of c***s ( and I'm referring to the people mentioned above)on the dole (with zero intention of ever coming off it), thieving, assaulting, bleeding the FLA dry,and basically making life miserable for the 99% who just want to have a life?

If you refuse someone the ability to put up a defence then they can't have the presumption of innocence.

In the grand scheme of how much the state pays for the sort of person who is lifelong on the dole and has 100 convictions, legal aid is a drop in the ocean. We (as in society) spend far more on dole payment, prison payments, GP visits, medical cards, family support payments, methadone maintenance, etc etc etc.

Those services (like FLA) are an important part of living in a fair and democratic society. I wouldn't advocate throwing them away because they are abused by a tiny minority.

 

[Corks finest]

Likewise

 

[Corks finest]

The word fla caught my eye.

Ol Fla