Blackstones rather than Archbold has been approved as the Criminal Text for Crown Courts next year.
Traditionalist Advocates who are used to Archbold are having a melt-down about the change to Blackstones. But both texts have their merits, and in reality these days the well-prepared Advocate in the digital era accesses a variety of sources to ensure they are up to date on the law or to support a legal argument.
It will be interesting to see whether in a year's time Blackstones have won over the Archbold fans, and in an adversarial publishing war no doubt the rival publishers will be making their submissions as persuasively as possible to secure the approval of the Courts for next year.
The LCCSA will be looking to review both texts and will publish the merits and weaknesses of both.
More detail in the Law Society Gazette article here.
Below:- text of the communique from the Senior Presiding Judge on Blackstone’s Criminal Practice:
"In July, Lord Justice Burnett wrote to inform you that the Judicial Executive Board had decided that Blackstone's Criminal Practice should be the standard text in all criminal courts.
JEB is aware that some practitioners are unhappy with this decision and have been delaying their purchasing decisions as a result of unfounded speculation that our position will be reversed. I am, therefore, writing to put an end to this speculation and confirm that Blackstone's Criminal Practice will be the standard text in all criminal courts."