The legal aid bill must be cut. Here’s how – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2011 in bills, budgets, citizens advice bureaux, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“Legal aid became bloated and inefficient. What’s needed is a better network of law centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The value of justice – LAG News Blog

Posted December 7th, 2011 in alcohol abuse, budgets, drug offences, family courts, news by sally

“District Judge Nicholas Crichton takes exception to the recently announced £41m increase in the cost of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. It is difficult not to agree with him, however much you might be looking forward to next year’s festivities, especially when vital services such as the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC), which he leads, have a financial question mark hanging over their future.”

Full story

LAG News Blog, 7th December 2011

Source: www.legalactiongroupnews.blogspot.com

Pro bono cannot plug the gap left by legal aid cuts – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“Without decrying the achievements of voluntary legal work, let’s keep a sense of proportion.”

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The Guardian, 7th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke delays £350m legal aid cuts – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, news by tracey

“Kenneth Clarke’s plans to slice £350m out of the annual legal aid budget appear to be losing momentum after the justice secretary unexpectedly announced a six-month delay to the programme.”

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The Guardian, 1st December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Changing the culture – Speech by Sir Nicholas Wall, President of the Family Division

Posted November 30th, 2011 in budgets, family courts, judges, legal aid, speeches by sally

Changing the culture (PDF)

Speech by Sir Nicholas Wall, President of the Family Division

The Law Reform Committee of the Bar Council, 29th November 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Legal aid reform prompts further protest from top judges – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2011 in budgets, family courts, judges, legal aid, news by sally

“Two more senior judges have publicly joined the chorus of those urging the government to rethink proposals to restrict legal aid, branding the plans a false economy and impediment to swift justice.”

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The Guardian, 29th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ken Clarke ditches plan to scrap chief coroner – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2011 in armed forces, bills, budgets, coroners, inquests, news by sally

“Justice secretary abandons plan to abolish post amid heavy opposition from Royal British Legion.”

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The Guardian, 23rd November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council Calls on House of Lords to Listen to Warnings on Legal Aid Cuts – The Bar Council

Posted November 21st, 2011 in barristers, budgets, legal aid, press releases by tracey

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has written to Peers to voice its concerns around the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (‘the Bill’), which is scheduled to receive its Second Reading in the House of Lords later today.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 21st November 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

2012/13 Budget Proposals: Consultation with the Profession – The Bar Council

Posted November 18th, 2011 in barristers, budgets, fees, press releases by tracey

“The Treasurer is inviting the practising Bar to review the Bar Council’s income & expenditure proposals for 2012/13 and the associated ramifications for the Practising Certificate Fee (PCF). Individuals, chambers, employers, SBAs, Circuits and Bar Council committees are all urged to take this opportunity to comment on the proposals.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 17th November 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Legal aid cuts undermine constitutional right to access to justice, peers warn – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2011 in budgets, constitutional law, legal aid, news by tracey

“Government proposals to slice £350m out the annual legal aid budget undermine the constitutional principle that citizens must have access to justice, a senior House of Lords committee has warned. Issued by the constitution select committee, which includes prominent crossbench and Conservative peers, the report is a significant challenge to the legal aid, sentencing and punishment of offenders bill days before its second reading in the upper house.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court allows challenges against library closures – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2011 in appeals, budgets, judicial review, libraries, local government, news by sally

“Campaigners won the latest legal battle over library closures when a judge in London allowed challenges against plans to shut libraries in Gloucestershire and Somerset.”

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The Guardian, 16th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New report on impact of legal aid cuts on disabled people – LAG News Blog

Posted November 14th, 2011 in benefits, budgets, disabled persons, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“LAG commissioned the disability charity Scope to research the impact of the proposed cuts in legal aid on benefits advice for disabled people. The report, Legal aid in welfare: the tool we can’t afford to lose, which is published today, demonstrates the serious consequences of the government’s proposals on disabled people and argues that taking benefits advice out of scope will undermine the government’s welfare reform programme.”

Full story

LAG News Blog, 14th November 2011

Source: www.legalactiongroupnews.blogspot.com

Courts step in to save vulnerable from cuts – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2011 in budgets, community care, disabled persons, judicial review, local government, news by sally

“Two disabled men who faced losing their right to care won a landmark High Court case yesterday over cost cutting by their council. It was the latest in a series of rulings that threatens to disrupt the Government’s attempts to slash local authority spending.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th November 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Council’s social care cuts are unlawful, high court rules – The Guardian

Posted November 11th, 2011 in budgets, community care, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

“Two severely disabled adults have won a landmark high court battle over cost-cutting by their local authority when a judge ruled that Isle of Wight council’s plans to reduce its adult social care budget are unlawful.”

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The Guardian, 11th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council cuts to elderly care fees ruled illegal – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 11th, 2011 in budgets, care homes, elderly, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

“Councils across England could be forced to spend hundreds of millions of pounds extra on care for the elderly after a landmark High Court case.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar Chairman – Slashing and Burning Legal Aid will Increase Costs – The Bar Council

Posted October 31st, 2011 in barristers, budgets, costs, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has warned the Government of the serious consequences of pursuing far reaching cuts to legal aid, as the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Commons.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 31st October 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Warning over legal aid cuts for disabled people – BBC News

Posted October 31st, 2011 in benefits, budgets, disabled persons, legal aid, news by sally

“Ministers are being urged not to restrict legal aid for disabled people wanting to challenge benefit decisions.”

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BBC News, 31st October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Abused women will suffer from legal aid cuts, charity claims – The Guardian

Posted October 31st, 2011 in budgets, domestic violence, legal aid, news by sally

“More women living in abusive relationships will be killed or driven to suicide if the government pushes through cuts to legal aid, a leading national charity has warned.”

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The Guardian, 31st October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Landmark pension High Court case: commentary – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 26th, 2011 in budgets, indexation, news, pensions, trade unions by sally

“A High Court test case has been launched to tackle the ‘biggest robbery’ from the pension payouts to British pensioners, unions have claimed. The head of Britain’s largest civil service union sets out the case against the change in pension indexation from the retail price index to the consumer price index.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will cause courts logjam, warn top judges – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in budgets, courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Legal aid cuts aimed at saving £350m a year will result in courts being deluged by people without lawyers and will restrict access to justice, some of the country’s most senior judges have told the Guardian.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk