Will my hearing go ahead? Civil Procedure, Human Rights and the Coronavirus – Blackstone Chambers

‘In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the protective measures which the UK government has introduced, litigators across the country are asking one burning question: will hearings go ahead, and if so how?’

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Blackstone Chambers, 18th March 2020

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

Civil Justice Council proposes rule changes to ensure consideration of vulnerability of people in civil proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Civil Justice Council has proposed rule changes that would further ensure that all civil judges, parties and advocates consider vulnerability of people involved in civil proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

CJC sets out rule changes to help vulnerable witnesses – Litigation Futures

‘The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has set out detailed changes it believes should be made to the Civil Procedure Rules to help vulnerable parties and witnesses, including an amended overriding objective.’

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Litigation Futures, 25th February 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Senior judges mull guideline hourly rate review – Litigation Futures

Posted February 21st, 2020 in civil justice, costs, courts, fees, judges, news by sally

‘A group of senior judges at the helm of the civil courts are considering a review of the guideline hourly rates (GHR) “as a matter of urgency”, it has emerged.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st February 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Mediation: untangling knotty problems – Counsel

Posted February 21st, 2020 in barristers, civil justice, codes of practice, dispute resolution, news by sally

‘What’s the most voiced complaint about litigators, the Bar in particular, going into mediation? Some best practice points emerged from the recent Civil Mediation Council Conference – writes Rawdon Crozier.’

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Counsel, February 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Thomas on Wales – Counsel

Posted February 20th, 2020 in civil justice, criminal justice, devolution, legal profession, news, reports, Wales by sally

‘With radical recommendations for ‘fair, distinct and devolved’ justice, the Thomas Report should be required reading for anyone interested in Wales and the state of its justice system – writes David Hughes.’

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Counsel, February 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

TV licence convictions hard to justify, says MP scrutinising BBC – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2020 in BBC, civil justice, criminal justice, enforcement, fines, licensing, news, select committees by sally

‘The Conservative MP tasked with scrutinising the BBC has said it is hard to justify enforcing the licence fee through the criminal courts, suggesting the corporation is losing support in its battle to prevent the decriminalisation of the £154.50 charge.’

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The Guardian, 15th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Urgent Action Required: The Bar Council’s 2019 Manifesto for the Justice System – The Bar Council

Posted November 26th, 2019 in barristers, civil justice, criminal justice, elections, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Today, at the Annual Bar and Young Bar Conference, Richard Atkins QC, Chair of the Bar, has announced the launch of the Bar Council’s general election manifesto – Urgent Action Required.’

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The Bar Council , 23rd November 2019

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Go to the LAA for civil contempt funding, not us – High Court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 18th, 2019 in appeals, civil justice, injunctions, legal aid, litigants in person, news, solicitors by sally

‘Litigants in person and solicitors should go through the Legal Aid Agency, not the High Court, for public funding in civil contempt proceedings, a judge has said in a bid to clear up confusion over who has the power to grant legal aid.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Difficulties in recruiting to District Bench “to have adverse consequences” for civil, family jurisdictions: Lord Chief Justice – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 6th, 2019 in civil justice, courts, families, news, reports by sally

‘The Lord Chief Justice has warned of “a very worrying shortfall” in the recruitment of salaried members to the District Bench this year, saying that it will have adverse consequences for the family and civil jurisdictions.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Drugs: UK should consider legalising possession, MPs say – BBC News

‘The government should investigate decriminalising the possession of all illegal drugs in a bid to prevent the rising number of related deaths, a group of MPs has said.’

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BBC News, 23rd October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Official worried that lawyers might “abuse” reformed DBAs – Litigation Futures

‘The government needs to be sure that allowing hybrid damages-based agreements (DBAs) will not encourage abuse by lawyers, such as speculative litigation, the civil servant in charge of civil litigation reform has warned.’

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Litigation Futures, 18th October 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Law, Procedure and Language – Civil Justice and Cymru – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Law, Procedure and Language – Civil Justice and Cymru.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 16th October 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

News ‘Perverse’ MoD legal reforms will harm troops’ rights, warn lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Legal experts have warned that the government’s plans to restrict claims against the Ministry of Defence are also framed to stop service personnel seeking justice for mistreatment.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 14th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Abuse inquiry calls for changes to civil justice system – Litigation Futures

‘Codes of practice for defendants responding to civil claims of child sexual abuse and a review of the law of limitation are among the ideas to deliver redress to victims put forward in a major report.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd September 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Open justice ‘victory’ revisited – Family Law

‘Laws governing the release of court material to non-parties in civil cases post Cape Intermediate are clear, but has the decision moved transparency laws forward for family proceedings? David Burrows reports.’

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Family Law, 19th September 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

The recoverability of inquest costs in civil actions – UK Police Law Blog

‘The case of Fullick v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2019] EWHC 1941 (QB) concerned an appeal of a Deputy Master’s order that the MET Commissioner pay the claimants’ costs in the sum of £88,356.22, following the settlement of a contemplated civil claim for damages for breach of article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights, negligence and misfeasance in public office. Slade J held that the Deputy Master had not erred in awarding the claimants their costs relating to the inquest because the steps taken for the purposes of it were relevant to the civil claim.’

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UK Police Law Blog, 14th September 2019

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

‘Passive’ civil courts urged to improve handling of vulnerable parties – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Rules should be updated, judicial training improved and court rooms rejigged to cater for parties with mental health conditions and other vulnerabilities in civil proceedings.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 5th September 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Former top judge lambasts Grayling and Truss in memoir – The Guardian

‘The former lord chancellor Chris Grayling “never believed access to social justice” was important while Liz Truss was a “disaster” in the same role, according to a highly revealing memoir by one of the country’s most senior, recently retired judges.’

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The Guardian, 21st August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court: Silence in disciplinary proceedings can lead to adverse inferences – Legal Futures

‘Disciplinary proceedings are not a “criminal/civil hybrid” and tribunals may draw adverse inferences from respondents staying silent, the High Court has made clear.’

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Legal Futures, 19th August 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk