Future of Communications

“Ghost Courts” — a Year of Insight and Discovery

The author’s year‑long investigation reveals a structural flaw in England and Wales’ Single Justice Procedure (SJP). Digital case‑management platforms assign administrative labels to magistrates’ courts without a legally defined, traceable tribunal identity. This creates a gap between statutory authority and operational record‑keeping, especially when cases move from SJP to traditional hearings. The author argues that the lack of a stable, inspectable record threatens the constitutional requirement that judicial power be identifiable and attributable.