Law reform

• Law Reform


  The process of updating, revising, and improving the law
• Law Commission

  A permanent body set up to review and propose reforms to the law
• Law Commission

  • Consists of a high court judge and other members
  • Aims to make the law fair, modern, and effective for the community
• Roles of the Law Commission

  1. Consider proposals for reform

  2. Submit examination of the law

  3. Undertake reform allowed by Parliament

  4. Prepare and consolidate the law

  5. Provide advice to government
• Reform

  Update, revise, and improve the law to focus on its current needs
• Law Reform Process

  1. Consults widely on why reform is needed

  2. Considers responses from interested parties

  3. Issues a report likely to contain a draft bill

  4. Parliament can put the proposals through the legislative process
• Codification

  • Reviewing all of the law on one topic and providing a single authoritative statement
• Consolidation

  • Bringing together all existing provisions of the law in one Act
• Repeal

  • Deciding which laws should be repealed or removed
• Implementation of Law Commission Proposals

  1. Lord Chancellor makes an annual report on progress

  2. Dedicated parliamentary procedure to ensure government departments respond within a year

  3. Examples: Coroners Act, Corporate Manslaughter Act
• Benefits of the Law Commission