Category: Ministry of Justice

Criminals gaming the justice system as cases jammed for years in court backlog – The Independent

Posted February 12th, 2024 in courts, criminal justice, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by tracey

‘Criminals are gaming the system by pleading not guilty and relying on crippling trial delays to evade justice, The Independent has been told. Laying bare the extent of the crisis in the courts, figures obtained by this publication suggest the number of cases waiting more than three years for a verdict has skyrocketed at least sevenfold since 2019 to exceed 1,280 last June.’

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The Independent, 11th February 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MoJ launches call for evidence on whiplash tariff – Legal Futures

Posted February 8th, 2024 in damages, indexation, inflation, Ministry of Justice, news, personal injuries, road traffic by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has launched a call for evidence on the whiplash tariff to inform the statutory review of the figures that it is required to carry out.’

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Legal Futures, 7th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

MoJ Finds Public Engagement Crucial In Shaping Sentencing Policies – Each Other

Posted February 7th, 2024 in Ministry of Justice, news, select committees, sentencing by sally

‘In a significant step towards fostering transparency and inclusivity within the criminal justice system, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has acknowledged the pivotal role public opinion plays in shaping sentencing policy. This revelation comes in response to a landmark report titled “Public Opinion and Understanding of Sentencing”, published by the justice committee in November 2023.’

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Each Other, 5th February 2024

Source: eachother.org.uk

MoJ to press ahead with fixed costs changes amid JR threat – Legal Futures

Posted February 2nd, 2024 in barristers, consultations, costs, judicial review, Ministry of Justice, news, personal injuries, solicitors by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is pressing ahead with reforms to the fixed recoverable costs (FRC) regime that came into force in October, opening the door to a possible court challenge.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Criminal legal aid “coming apart at the seams”, High Court says – Legal Futures

Posted February 1st, 2024 in criminal justice, judicial review, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news, remuneration, solicitors by sally

‘Two High Court judges have described the system of criminal legal aid as “slowly coming apart at the seams” and reliant on solicitors’ goodwill and sense of public duty.’

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Legal Futures, 1st February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Children’s wellbeing at the heart of family court reforms – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 30th, 2024 in children, dispute resolution, family courts, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘Children will be better protected from the impact of lengthy courtroom battles thanks to pioneering measures to help families resolve disputes as swiftly as easily possible.’

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Ministry of Justice, 26th January 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Government announces early legal advice pilot for separating couples – Legal Futures

Posted January 26th, 2024 in children, consultations, dispute resolution, divorce, families, family courts, legal advice, Ministry of Justice, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘The government is to launch a pilot of early legal advice for separating couples to judge what impact it could have to speed up a resolution.’

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Legal Furures, 26th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Long-term sustainability of civil legal aid in doubt, MoJ research finds – Legal Futures

Posted January 22nd, 2024 in civil justice, legal aid, legal profession, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by tracey

‘There is “notable cause for concern” over the long-term sustainability of the civil legal aid sector, research commissioned by the Ministry of Justice has concluded.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Around 100 courtrooms closing every week due to ‘endemic’ dilapidation, warns Lady Chief Justice – The Independent

Posted January 19th, 2024 in budgets, courts, dilapidations, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, repairs, statistics by sally

‘Dilapidation is “endemic” in Britain’s crumbling court system, with around 100 unplanned courtroom closures every week exacerbating trial delays, the head of the judiciary has warned.’

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The Independent, 18th January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MoJ changes to indefinite jail sentences do not go far enough, says UN expert – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2024 in criminal justice, imprisonment, Ministry of Justice, news, parole, sentencing, torture, United Nations by sally

‘A UN torture expert has said changes to the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme in England and Wales do not go far enough and repeated her call for prisoners jailed under the indefinite sentencing regime to be granted release dates.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK citizens and businesses to be spared time and money on cross-border legal disputes – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 15th, 2024 in brexit, conflict of laws, dispute resolution, international law, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘Firms caught up in endless international legal disputes will be spared time and money thanks to Ministers signing up to the 2019 Hague Convention today (12 January 2024).’

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Ministry of Justice, 12th January 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

‘Significant step forward’ as Hague Convention signed – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 15th, 2024 in brexit, conflict of laws, dispute resolution, international law, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The UK’s appeal to businesses as a centre for dispute resolution will be boosted by the signing of the 2019 Hague Convention on private international law, the government said today. The treaty, signed in the Netherlands by justice minister Lord Bellamy this week, creates international framework of rules for recognition and enforcement of judgments in cross-border civil disputes.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th January 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Applications for deprivation of liberty under MCA up by less than 1% compared to same quarter in 2022, but orders nearly double – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 5th, 2024 in children, detention, families, family courts, local government, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by sally

‘There were 1,655 applications relating to deprivation of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act made in the most recent quarter (July to September 2023), an increase of less than 1% on the number made in the same quarter in 2022, government data has revealed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Brand new guide to help public easily access court hearings – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 2nd, 2024 in civil justice, courts, criminal justice, Ministry of Justice, news, tribunals by tracey

‘People are being encouraged to see how justice is done in courtrooms with the publication of a new and simple “how to” guide for attending court hearings today.’

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Ministry of Justice, 30th December 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Easier access to historic wills under new government plans – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 19th, 2023 in archives, consultations, Ministry of Justice, news, wills by tracey

‘The ambitious digitisation programme could see millions of wills dating back more than 150 years moved online and more easily accessible to the public in a bid to improve the current storage system.’

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Ministry of Justice, 15th December 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Ministry of Justice plan to destroy historical wills is ‘insane’, say experts – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2023 in archives, consultations, Ministry of Justice, news, wills by tracey

‘“Sheer vandalism” and “insane”. This is how leading historians on Monday described government plans to destroy millions of historical wills to save on storage costs. The Ministry of Justice is consulting on digitising and then throwing away about 100m paper originals of the last wills and testaments of British people dating back more than 150 years in an effort to save £4.5m a year.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Qualified legal representatives will now get expenses but Law Soc says fees ‘still too low’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 11th, 2023 in cross-examination, domestic violence, expenses, families, family courts, fees, Law Society, legal representation, Ministry of Justice, news, victims by tracey

‘The Law Society has welcomed the announcement that expenses will be added to the qualified legal representative (QLR) scheme in domestic abuse cases, but says fees are still too low.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Reforms bring hope to rehabilitated people still serving abolished indefinite sentences – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 1st, 2023 in bills, imprisonment, Ministry of Justice, news, parole, prisons, rehabilitation, sentencing, statistics by tracey

‘Thousands of rehabilitated ex-prisoners serving long-since abolished indefinite sentences will become eligible to have their licence period terminated earlier as part of new reforms.’

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Ministry of Justice, 28th December 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

MoJ identifies where, but not why, OIC cases are being delayed – Legal Futures

Posted November 30th, 2023 in delay, electronic filing, insurance, Ministry of Justice, news, personal injuries by sally

‘The period between a liability decision and the insurer making a first offer is where the ever-lengthening delays in the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal are occurring, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 30th November 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Over 1,800 offenders to have indefinite jail sentences terminated, says MoJ – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2023 in early release, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing by tracey

‘More than 1,800 offenders in England and Wales who have been released on licence but remain under indefinite threat of recall to jail are to have their sentences terminated.’

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The Guardian, 28th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com