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The Magistrate's Blog (2005-2012)

This blog has migrated to www.magistratesblog.blogspot.co.uk This blog is anonymous, and Bystander's views are his and his alone. Where his views differ from the letter of the law, he will enforce the letter of the law because that is what he has sworn to do. If you think that you can identify a particular case from one of the posts you are wrong. Enough facts are changed to preserve the truth of the tale but to disguise its exact source.

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Location: Near London, United Kingdom

The blog is written by a retired JP, with over 30 years' experience on the Bench.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

No More Puffs

The word is that smoking is to be banned in all parts of all courthouses shortly (although this may only just squeeze in ahead of a more general Government ban on the foul weed).

I have mixed feelings about this. I am a lifelong non-smoker, but I know that smoking is especially common among the sort of people the court has to deal with. Hanging about in a court as witness, defendant or whatever, is a highly stressful experience, and it seems a little harsh to deprive nicotine addicts of its comforts at such a time. We presently provide a smoking room with decent extractor fans for those waiting, and another for staff and magistrates. Inevitably people will gravitate outside the building for a drag - we shall need to ensure that we keep the magistrates and staff away from the defendants and their supporters. I also have a hunch that our ushers are going to have to scour the street before calling on each case in the future.

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