Only one thing missing now – a judgment

Hello secret emailers

I still haven’t received the “perfected” transcript of the final day of the Common Issues trial, so I’ve posted up the unamended transcript I was sent on the day. It’s unlikely to be radically different from the final version.

You can read it here.

It is the second day – part 2 – of the summing up of the Post Office QC David Cavender. I would urge you to plow through it (after having read part 1 here, of course).

It is a well-constructed argument which seeks to explain why the claimants’ case makes no sense in law. And the judge is constrained by the law.

To give you an example of the at-times Alice-in-Wonderland world this creates, here is a direct quote from the Post Office QC on Day 14:

“my learned friend [the claimants’ QC]’s case appears to be: “The approach of the court should start and finish with common sense.” – Clearly that is not the right approach, and of course it is not the approach your Lordship will doubtless take.”

When you hear a QC tell a judge in all seriousness that they should not approach a case using common sense, you know something’s wrong with the world.

I have updated the Common Issues Trial Menu (which you can find here and at the top of every webpage on the blog) to include Day 15 and all the comment pieces I wrote during the trial. This means you now have access to everything that went on during the trial from one page.

Please dig into it. Particularly the transcripts of the evidence given under cross-examination by Post Office employees, and, as I said above, the words of Mr Cavender in his closing argument.

The Post Office has never really said anything meaningful to the media about this story in the eight years I’ve been following it, and now we have thousands and thousands of words from their employees and counsel under oath, in court. If you spot any gems which merit investigation, please bring them to my attention.

Have fun exploring.

Nick