Dalrymple works frequently as an expert witness in British criminal and civil trials, and he seems to be writing more frequently on what he sees there. Probably his best and most comprehensive piece on the subject is an article in the just-released Winter 2012 issue of The Salisbury Review, in which he says the British court system is increasingly corrupt:
The corruption that our tort system both encourages and depends upon is not only that of liars, swindlers and blackmailers, though there are plenty of those about, but of a much more insidious kind, both intellectual and moral, in which clever, honest and conscientious men can apply their often very great intelligence to the unintended task of corrupting society and even human character.
One of many entertaining examples:
In another case, a man claimed that an injury left him unable to concentrate, and a psychologist testified that tests demonstrated that this was so and that therefore he would never work again. The man gave evidence in the witness box – examination-in-chief and crossexamination – for a day and a half, without the slightest loss of concentration, having mastered the papers of his own case that were several volumes long. The court believed the psychologist rather than the evidence of its own eyes and ears, and it is difficult to explain this other than by a corporate desire to keep the whole corrupt system going.
Read it here.
The Trap
The trams collided where the tramlines merged
And he was thrown abruptly to the street
His shoulder hurt, he sued for recompense
And at the trial in giving evidence
He told the judge he could not lift his arm
Above his shoulder since he’d had the fall
Then counsel for the Railway stood and said
“Please show the Court the truth of what you pled”
With grimaced face to show all of his might
The man raised up his arm to shoulder height
“Now show the Court” said counsel with a roar
“How high the same arm could be raised before”
Not pausing to consider what was said
He raised the arm straight up above his head
More like this at http://www.dailypoem.net
Could you please indicate in future that articles in The Salisbury Review require a paid subscription? You do this for Dalrymple’s articles in the British Medical Journal and I find it convenient so please be consistent and apply this policy to non-BMJ publications requiring subscriptions.
Henry, I’m sorry about that. We always intend to do that, but I sometimes forget. I will try to remember in the future!