Rough Justice
Do we have the law we deserve?
Published on 24. April 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-1-80499-266-1 (ISBN)
Description
Do we have the law we deserve? Has justice improved for the victim, the accused and society? What even is justice?
Following her Sunday Times bestseller Unlawful Killings, Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC reconstructs four gripping courtroom dramas, drawing on her many years' experience as a murder trial judge to ask whether our justice system works, and if it has improved over the centuries.
'Joseph is a natural storyteller.. but what makes it stand out is her point of view.' The Times
'A compelling read' Lady Hale
'A more cerebral version of Kavanagh QC ... with sensitivity, suspense and an easy style.' New Statesman
'Beautifully written, immensely engaging, powerful and disturbing insight into a judge's work and the choices faced.' Peter James
'If ever I was on trial I would want my judge to be this one.' Cherie Blair, CBE KC
Have we got any better at delivering what is right and fair, both to the perpetrators and the victims of society's most heinous crimes? From the trial of a child charged with disposing of dismembered body parts, to the woman accused of killing her own husband, Joseph is utterly compelling as she sets out how the system works. But, as she compares these modern courtroom tales with eerily similar cases and miscarriages of justice from years ago, might the most chilling story of all be that the lessons of the past have yet to be learned?
Incisive, masterfully crafted, Rough Justice illuminates the struggles of any one of us caught up in our legal system - but particularly the marginalized and the easily exploited - and grapples with the concept of 'justice for all' so that we might demand better.
'The author's wit and wisdom deserve as wide an audience as possible.' His Honour David Radford
'An author who uses hindsight to contemplate foresight whilst generating genuine insight.' Professor Dame Sue Black
'The criminal law has found its voice: quiet, determined, steely, and yet always humane.' Justin Webb
'A riveting front-line account of our beleaguered courts...Told with clarity and eloquence, it distils an arcane subject with the vigor and pace of a legal thriller.' Kia Abdullah
..........................................................................................................
Praise for Unlawful Killings by Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC, Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023:
'The most exceptional book I have read in a long time.' CLARE MACKINTOSH
'Absolutely superb. 5 stars' PHILIPPA PERRY, author of THE BOOK YOU WISH YOUR PARENTS HAD READ
'Wendy Joseph's gripping account of the law at work reads like a cliffhanger.' Sunday Times
'A gripping insight ... beautifully crafted ... grim tales lifted by humour and honesty.' The Times
'Her writing is characterized by analytical precision, but it is also a book of great empathy and urgency... A fine book.'' TLS
'A very rare gem. written with authority, humility and compassion. Compellingly clever and sharply honest.' PROFESSOR DAME SUE BLACK, author of ALL THAT REMAINS
'Riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.' RODDY DOYLE
'Will make you question all the fundamentals that you've come to take for granted about offenders, the crimes that they commit - especially murder - and the punishment they deserve. A page turner that will leave you wanting to know more.' EMERITUS PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, author of MY LIFE WITH MURDERERS
Following her Sunday Times bestseller Unlawful Killings, Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC reconstructs four gripping courtroom dramas, drawing on her many years' experience as a murder trial judge to ask whether our justice system works, and if it has improved over the centuries.
'Joseph is a natural storyteller.. but what makes it stand out is her point of view.' The Times
'A compelling read' Lady Hale
'A more cerebral version of Kavanagh QC ... with sensitivity, suspense and an easy style.' New Statesman
'Beautifully written, immensely engaging, powerful and disturbing insight into a judge's work and the choices faced.' Peter James
'If ever I was on trial I would want my judge to be this one.' Cherie Blair, CBE KC
Have we got any better at delivering what is right and fair, both to the perpetrators and the victims of society's most heinous crimes? From the trial of a child charged with disposing of dismembered body parts, to the woman accused of killing her own husband, Joseph is utterly compelling as she sets out how the system works. But, as she compares these modern courtroom tales with eerily similar cases and miscarriages of justice from years ago, might the most chilling story of all be that the lessons of the past have yet to be learned?
Incisive, masterfully crafted, Rough Justice illuminates the struggles of any one of us caught up in our legal system - but particularly the marginalized and the easily exploited - and grapples with the concept of 'justice for all' so that we might demand better.
'The author's wit and wisdom deserve as wide an audience as possible.' His Honour David Radford
'An author who uses hindsight to contemplate foresight whilst generating genuine insight.' Professor Dame Sue Black
'The criminal law has found its voice: quiet, determined, steely, and yet always humane.' Justin Webb
'A riveting front-line account of our beleaguered courts...Told with clarity and eloquence, it distils an arcane subject with the vigor and pace of a legal thriller.' Kia Abdullah
..........................................................................................................
Praise for Unlawful Killings by Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC, Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023:
'The most exceptional book I have read in a long time.' CLARE MACKINTOSH
'Absolutely superb. 5 stars' PHILIPPA PERRY, author of THE BOOK YOU WISH YOUR PARENTS HAD READ
'Wendy Joseph's gripping account of the law at work reads like a cliffhanger.' Sunday Times
'A gripping insight ... beautifully crafted ... grim tales lifted by humour and honesty.' The Times
'Her writing is characterized by analytical precision, but it is also a book of great empathy and urgency... A fine book.'' TLS
'A very rare gem. written with authority, humility and compassion. Compellingly clever and sharply honest.' PROFESSOR DAME SUE BLACK, author of ALL THAT REMAINS
'Riveting, thought-provoking, and very, very entertaining. I loved it.' RODDY DOYLE
'Will make you question all the fundamentals that you've come to take for granted about offenders, the crimes that they commit - especially murder - and the punishment they deserve. A page turner that will leave you wanting to know more.' EMERITUS PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, author of MY LIFE WITH MURDERERS
Reviews / Votes
A more cerebral version of Kavanagh QC ... with sensitivity, suspense and an easy style. -- Marina Wheeler * New Statesman * Joseph is a natural storyteller.. but what makes it stand out is her point of view. -- Frances Gibb * The Times * Joseph writes clearly and elegantly.. her tone is that of a wise, empathetic referee. -- Henry Mance * Financial Times * It is her open-mindedness and her powerful writing style that makes this book an original mixture of education and gripping stories. -- Rachel Billington * Inside Time * A vivid picture of the thoughts, feelings and actions of a woman judge as she tries cases involving women as victims/perpetrators and asks herself whether we do them justice. A compelling read. -- Lady Hale Rough Justice raises profound questions about what the words guilty and innocent actually mean. Written with great style and aplomb and full of surprises, I would give this to anyone interested in the law, indeed anyone interested in their fellow humans. The criminal law has found its voice: quiet, determined, steely, and yet always humane. -- JUSTIN WEBB, Today Programme presenter and author of The Gift of a Radio You'll hear a lot of wonderful things being said about Wendy Joseph's Rough Justice and I have to tell you that they're all justified. A worthy follow-up to her bestselling debut Unlawful Killings this is a book that will make you question what justice is and whether or not it actually gets dispensed by our courts. -- Emeritus Professor David Wilson, author of My Life with Murderers Beautifully written, immensely engaging, powerful and disturbing insight into a judge's work and the choices faced. -- Peter James, author of the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series A fascinating and entertaining view of our criminal justice system from the perspective of the Bench. Wendy Joseph tells stories of criminal prosecutions where women are on trial for serious offences. All the characters of the crown court come alive from judge's clerk to problematic jury members, from overconfident counsel to the frightened defendant with Her Honour left to play umpire and make the whole system run as smoothly as possible. It is a relatively fair procedure, but can justice be served in cases where there is often a complex and hidden past?' -- Harriet Wistrich, author of Sister in Law Rough Justice is a riveting front-line account of our beleaguered courts. Part polemic, part primer, it takes gripping real-life cases and places the reader in the centre of the drama. Told with clarity and eloquence, it distils an arcane subject with the vigor and pace of a legal thriller. I found it sobering but also deeply moving and resolutely hopeful. -- Kia Abdullah, author of Those People Next DoorMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 193 mm
Width: 123 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
258 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80499-266-1 (9781804992661)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2024
Transworld Digital
€9.99
Available for download
Person
Until March 2022 Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC was a judge at the Old Bailey, sitting on criminal cases, trying mainly allegations of murder and other homicide. She read English and Law at Cambridge, was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 1975, became a QC in 1998 and sat as a full-time judge from 2007 to 2022. When she moved to the Old Bailey in 2012 she was the only woman amongst sixteen judges, and only the third woman ever to hold a permanent position there. She was also a Diversity and Community Relations Judge, working to promote understanding between the judiciary and many different sectors of our community, particularly those from less privileged and minority groups. She mentors young people, from a variety of backgrounds, who hope for a career in law and has a special interest in helping women. Her first book, Unlawful Killings, won the Crime Writer's Association 'Gold Dagger' for Non-fiction and was a Sunday Times bestseller.