Description

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Contempt of court has been aptly described as the Proteus of the legal world, assuming an almost infinite diversity of forms. Its central concern is to protect the administration of justice in criminal and civil cases, but also to protect witnesses from being victimized and courts from being subjected to destructive criticism in the press, or disruptive conduct during their proceedings. Professor Miller's classic work Contempt of Court gives a comprehensive treatment of the issues in this broad subject area including contempt in the face of the court, publication contempt, and civil contempt when orders are breached.

This new and updated edition has been written against the backdrop of transformations to the media and mass communication technology. Social media has changed day-to-day life almost beyond recognition, and its potential to prejudice criminal proceedings in particular has quickly become apparent. The High Court and the Court of Appeal are considering with increasing frequency what steps might be appropriate to safeguard criminal trials in this context, which can include injunctions, orders made under the Contempt of Court Act 1981, and severe sanctions when members of the public find themselves in contempt. This edition incorporates the most recent case law in this area.

Through pragmatic and reliable analysis, this book provides the reader with an authoritative understanding of all aspects of this vital topic.

About the Author

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C.J. Miller, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Birmingham, David Perry QC, Barrister, 6KBW C.J. Miller, Emeritus Professor of Law at the University of Birmingham: the existing editor of three previous editions of this popular text with extensive experience of research and writing in this area over the course of a long and successful career in legal academia. David Perry QC of 6KW is described by Legal 500 as "in the very highest rank" in his field. He has appeared in most of the important criminal appeals of recent years and is regularly instructed to appear in the Supreme Court, Privy Court, and Court of Appeal. As Treasury Counsel, he has acted in a wide range of high profile criminal trials.