Kids Law

In this special Christmas episode Alma-Constance and Lucinda find out if there are any laws that affect Christmas.  We talk to Russell Sandberg, Professor of Law at the School of Law and Politics at Cardiff University in Wales, who has a particular interest in law, history, and religion and who tells us why we have laws that affect how people celebrate events together.

He tells us about laws  created to keep Christmas Day special and we hear about feasts, rude carols and what a court jester called Roland had to do for King John!

Russell also tells us about Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan parliament who banned Christmas in 1647 .  

He tells us about his work as a professor of law teaching students and researching and campaigning for improvements in the law and he thinks that that we should always consider how laws affect children. 

He also tells us that when he was 10 years old,  he loved writing, watching TV and films and that he still loves superhero films!

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to the Honourable Mrs Justice Joanna Smith DBE, a High Court Judge, to ask her about the cases that are heard in the High Court and how judges are appointed to the High Court. We discuss:

·      the three different types of courts within the High Court which deal with civil cases and where are they based

·      what Joanna does in a typical working day as a judge

·      what happens if people aren’t happy with a decision in the high court

·      how she became a barrister and judge

Jo also tells us that when she 10 years old she was very proud of being able to stand on her head!

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to David Anderson, QC Baron Anderson of Ipswich KBE, a barrister and life peer, who is a member of the House of Lords. 

We discuss the work of the House of Lords and ask:

• How they improve legislation through committees and debates 
• How it fits in with House of Commons in making laws
• How people become members of the House of Lords

David tells us a couple of funny stories too, involving bats and dogs!

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you. 
What do you think of the episodes so far? 
If you have any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

A Hallowe'en Special!
In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda are talking to Kirsty Brimelow QC, a barrister and expert in international human rights, public and criminal law. 
We talk about 

• the history of laws about witchcraft and why this is still relevant today in the UK
• the balance of the freedom for people's right to believe what they wish and the need to protect people from harm
• the role of human rights law and international organisations like the United Nations

Kirsty Brimelow QC  chaired the first UN Workshop on Witchcraft and Human Rights in Geneva in 2017 and worked to introduce a Resolution into the United Nations on the elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks. This resolution was passed by the United Nations Human Rights Council on 12 July 2021. This means that the UN has condemned these practices. 

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you. What do you think of the episodes so far? 
If you have any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends! 

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In this episode , Alma-Constance and Lucinda speak to a judge of the Supreme Court, Lord Stephens of Creevyloughgare who worked as a judge in Northern Ireland before joining the Supreme Court in 2020.

We discuss the fact that in the UK, we have three different legal systems, one for Scotland, one for Northern Ireland, and one for both England and Wales, and how the Supreme Court sits at the top of the courts in the four countries as the final court of appeal.

Lord Stephens tells us about the system of reviewing courts' decisions by a process of appeal. He explains that the Supreme Court  concentrates solely on discussing and deciding issues of general public importance. He also explains how our legal system is different from other legal systems in that we have judge-made law as well as the law made in Parliament. 

He thinks that justice and the rule of law are as important for children as they are for adults, since children are affected by laws and court decisions in many different ways. He also tells us about his work in deciding cases that have involved children.

Lord Stephens says that children can expect to be treated fairly and importantly, as individuals,  to have their views taken into account.  Decisions affecting them need to be properly explained and although they may not yet be able to vote,  he thinks that day is not far off.

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you. What do you think of the episodes so far? 
If you have any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends! 

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

Welcome to Series 2 of the Kids Law Podcast!

In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda discuss why we need to have courts and judges and how children are treated if they need to go to court.  

We interview the Lord Chief Justice Ian  Burnett, who is the head of the judiciary of England and Wales and the president of the courts of England and Wales. He tells us about the different types of courts and judges.

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you. What do you think of the programmes so far? 
If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends! 

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In this short round up, we look back on everything we have learnt in Series 1, and all the questions still left to ask our guests in future series!

In Series 1 we have discussed issues such as:

• How laws are made 
• The difference between criminal and civil law 
• What the “age of criminal responsibility” really means
• How the police enforce the law to protect citizens
• Youth courts, and how they are used to help children through the legal process
• The highest court in the UK: the Supreme Court, and its role in ensuring justice for UK citizens 

We would like to say a big thank you to all our Series 1 speakers for coming on the podcast and explaining all these legal issues in such a clear and interesting way.

We have lots of great speakers and questions lined up for Series 2, so keep your eyes peeled!

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you! 

Tell us what you think of Series 1, and if you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. 

See you in Series 2!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In our tenth and final episode of Series 1, Alma-Constance and Lucinda speak to Darren Jones, the MP for Bristol North West, about his job as a Member of Parliament. 

Darren discussed his move from being a lawyer who puts the laws into practice, and becoming a politician. As a MP, Darren is in a position to discuss, change and introduce new laws, and in order to represent the views of all the people who live in his constituency, he takes the time to listen to the voices of not just adults, but children too. 

In England and Wales, the legal voting age is 18. This means that the voices of those under 18 are often not taken into account when a new government is voted in. Scotland has now changed the voting age to 16, and Darren explains why he thinks this is something that should also happen in England and Wales. 

If you live in Darren’s constituency, Bristol North West, you can contact him and raise any issues via email at [email protected]

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you! 

Tell us what you think of our episode, and if you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website, www.kidslaw.info or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. 

See you in the next episode!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In this episode, Alma-Constance talks to MP Edward Timpson CBE about his experience and knowledge of the foster care system in the UK. Ed is the MP for Eddisbury and was a family law barrister in Cheshire before joining the Conservative Party and serving as the Minister for Children and Families from 2015 to 2017. They discuss the difference between fostering and adoption, legal changes to make sure young people are looked after for as long as possible, and the importance of vulnerable children’s views and feelings being taken into account. 

 Alma-Constance asks Ed about the changes he believes still need to be made within the foster system, such as giving foster parents more freedom when looking after children, and Ed encourages young people to speak to their MPs so that their voices are heard when it comes to laws that affect them.

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you! 

Tell us what you think of our episode, and if you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview, please contact us through the website or through social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. 

See you in the next episode!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!

In our eighth episode, Alma-Constance tells Lucinda that she was shocked to find out that she has reached the age of criminal responsibility at just 10 years old and wanted to find out why we need a criminal justice system and how does it affect children.  Their guest for this episode is the person who calls themselves the Secret Barrister, who is a junior barrister specialising in criminal law, and author and blogger.  

The Secret Barrister does not want to reveal their identity in public and  wants to be able explain the law plainly so people can understand how it affects us all. Their words were read out by Alice Acland to keep their voice anonymous.

In our previous interviews with Max Hill and Cressida Dick we have heard that very few children get caught up in crime, but of course when they do it can have very serious consequences for them and has a huge impact on their lives and their family. Some people find it confusing that someone accused of a crime should be allowed to have a lawyer defending them. But this is a very important principle that everyone is entitled to a fair hearing especially  when it is the state, the government who is prosecuting them and they have resources to do this, and the consequences can be so serious. 

You can find more about The Secret Barrister on their blog: https://thesecretbarrister.com

The Secret Barrister’s first book and Sunday Times No.1 Bestseller, “Stories of The Law and How It’s Broken”, was published by Pan Macmillan in March 2018, and was in the top-ten bestseller list for over a year. 

Their new book, “Fake Law”, was published by Picador in September 2020.

Alma-Constance and Lucinda would love to hear from you! 

Tell us what you think of our episode, and if you've got any questions,  ideas about a topic or someone you'd like us to interview,  please  contact us through the website, kidslaw.info  or on social media  on Twitter @KidsLawInfo, Facebook and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

You can also email us: [email protected]

Please subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. 

See you in the next episode!

If you've got any questions, ideas about a topic or someone to interview, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!! You can email us at [email protected], contact us through the website: www.kidslaw.info  or through social media: Facebook, X and Instagram @KidsLawInfo 

Please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. 
See you soon in the next episode!