Brexit: Boris Johnson ordered to appear in court over £350m claim – BBC News

‘Boris Johnson has been ordered to appear in court over claims he lied by saying the UK gave the EU £350m a week. The Tory leadership candidate has been accused of misconduct in public office after making the claim during the 2016 EU referendum campaign.’

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BBC News, 29th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminal barristers in England and Wales to vote on walkout over pay – The Guardian

‘Criminals barristers in England and Wales are to vote over a national walkout on 1 July in protest at low fees, which they say can be as low as £46.50 for a day in court.’

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The Guardian, 24th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UN highlights role of legal aid cuts in “immiseration” of millions – Legal Futures

‘The decimation of legal aid has contributed to “the systematic immiseration of millions across Great Britain”, the UN’s expert on poverty and human rights said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New APIL chief: Falling PI damages “an affront to justice” – Litigation Futures

‘Trends in personal injury claims since LASPO, with damages falling, are an “affront to justice”, the new president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has claimed.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

What are the rules for donating to UK political parties? – The Guardian

Posted May 22nd, 2019 in budgets, elections, financial regulation, internet, news, political parties by sally

‘The Brexit party funding row shows how technology has outpaced electoral law.’

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The Guardian, 21st May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Voices of children overlooked in family courts, says ex-head – BBC News

‘Family courts in England and Wales are not properly accommodating children’s voices and needs because the government has suggested “it would all cost too much”, their former head has said.’

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BBC News, 16th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Private jails more violent than public ones, data analysis shows – The Guardian

‘Private prisons are more violent than public jails, according to data analysis that raises questions over the government’s plans to pursue its prisons-for-profit model.’

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The Guardian, 13th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK’s organised crime threat at record level, warns National Crime Agency – The Guardian

Posted May 13th, 2019 in brexit, budgets, crime prevention, gangs, internet, investigatory powers, news, police by sally

‘Britain risks losing the fight against organised crime unless police receive significant new resources to tackle the “chronic and corrosive” threat from such groups, the head of the National Crime Agency has warned.’

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The Guardian, 12th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inns of Court to re-enter training market with new Bar course – Legal Futures

Posted May 10th, 2019 in barristers, budgets, inns of court, legal education, news by sally

‘The Inns of Court are to re-enter the student training market and have today become the first to unveil plans to deliver the new Bar training course.’

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The Guardian, 10th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Grayling probation changes ‘took unacceptable risks’ with public money – The Guardian

‘Chris Grayling’s widely derided changes to the supervision of a quarter of a million offenders in the community were rushed through at breakneck speed, taking “unacceptable risks” with taxpayers’ money, a spending watchdog has said.’

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The Guardian, 3rd May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Crimes are going unsolved because forensic science services are in crisis, a damning Lords report warns – Daily Telegraph

‘Serious crimes are going unsolved and innocent people are being wrongly convicted due to a “crisis” in the forensic science industry in England and Wales, a damning report has found.’

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Daily Telegraph, 1st May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers can act as deputies, Court of Protection rules – Legal Futures

‘Barristers can act as professional property and affairs deputies for people who lack mental capacity, although it is not seen as a legal service, the Court of Protection has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 26th April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Who gets legal aid? – BBC News

Posted April 16th, 2019 in budgets, civil justice, criminal justice, legal aid, news, statistics by tracey

‘Who gets legal aid?’

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BBC News, 15th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regulator warns policy makers to “think very carefully” before setting up charity for singular public project – Local Government Lawyer

‘The fact that more than £50m of public funds was spent by the Garden Bridge Trust without producing demonstrable public benefit or impact represented “a failure for charity which risks undermining public trust”, the Charity Commission has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th April 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Two-thirds of councils say they can’t afford to comply with homelessness law – The Guardian

Posted April 10th, 2019 in benefits, budgets, homelessness, housing, local government, news, statistics by sally

‘The Homelessness Reduction Act, in operation for the past 12 months, is potentially the greatest piece of homelessness legislation for 40 years in England, according to Southwark council in south London. The Labour-run council pioneered the government’s new flagship act, and is upbeat about it. While homelessness went up in the borough last year, as it did across London, the rise was less steep than expected: 8.6% for families placed in temporary accommodation and a similarly small increase for rough sleepers. At the same time, there was also a 50% increase in the number of people the council helped to stay in their home. “It shows the act works,” says the council’s cabinet member for housing, Stephanie Cryan.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Garden Bridge which cost the taxpayer more than £50m was ‘a failure for charity’ that undermines public trust, commission rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 10th, 2019 in budgets, charities, Charity Commission, London, news, taxation, transport by sally

‘The London Garden Bridge, which cost the taxpayer more than £50 million, was “a failure for charity” that undermines public trust, the Charity Commission has ruled.’

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Daily Telegraph, 9th April 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judges, police and lawyers warn MPs over court modernisation – Legal Futures

‘Judges, justice campaigners, academics and others have raised wide-ranging concerns about the government’s ambitious court reform programme in evidence submitted to MPs.’

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Legal Futures, 9th April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court dispenses with electronic bill – Litigation Futures

Posted April 3rd, 2019 in budgets, costs, damages, electronic filing, negligence, news, part 36 offers by sally

‘A High Court judge has relieved a claimant who won a trial in January from having to produce an electronic bill for the work undertaken since 6 April 2018.’

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Litigation Futures, 2nd April 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court sets June date for judicial review hearing over SEND funding policy – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 6th, 2019 in budgets, judicial review, news, special educational needs by sally

‘A High Court judge has granted three families permission to bring a judicial review challenge over the Government’s special education needs (“SEND”) funding policy.’

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Local Government Lawyer, March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Dangerous’ part-privatisation of probation services costing taxpayers extra £467m, watchdog finds – The Independent

‘The number of criminals being sent back to prison for violating licence conditions has skyrocketed since the government’s “dangerous” part-privatisation of probation services, a watchdog has found.’

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The Independent, 1st March 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk