Remote Hearings in the Family of Courts of England and Wales: what the research shows – Transparency Project

‘Hearings in the family courts of England and Wales are almost unrecognisable today to the hearings that took place prior to the outbreak of Covid-19. On 23 March 2020, it was announced that a nationwide lockdown was to begin the following day and last indefinitely. Between 23 March and 6 April, video hearings increased by 340% across courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Audio hearings increased by over 500%. Today, remote and hybrid (where some people attend in person and some via a telephone or video link) hearings have become commonplace. Even final hearings are now being conducted remotely. The transition to remote and hybrid hearings has helped to mitigate the delay before cases are heard. It helping to minimise an increasing backlog of cases. Telephone and video hearings have their benefits for parents, children and professionals alike, which might even see remote hearings continue in use in some cases beyond the pandemic. However, remote hearings come at a cost, as two consultations by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) demonstrate.’

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Transparency Project, 13th November 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Shock new figures fuel fears of more lockdown domestic abuse killings in UK – The Guardian

‘Calls to the UK’s largest domestic abuse helpline are rising “week on week” as new figures reveal that almost 50 suspected killings may have occurred during the first lockdown.’

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The Guardian, 15th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Hodge worries about impact of pandemic on young lawyers – Litigation Futures

‘The deputy president of the Supreme Court has expressed fears that young lawyers have been unable to train properly during the pandemic and urged the profession to ensure there is no lasting damage to their education.’

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Litigation Futures, 12th November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Home Office ‘failed to discuss restart of asylum evictions with local authorities’ – The Guardian

‘The Home Office did not discuss the decision to restart asylum evictions with local authorities, it has been revealed, despite concerns about the immediate impact on homelessness and heightened risks of coronavirus transmission.’

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The Guardian, 14th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme court case looms as insurers battle firms over Covid cover – The Guardian

‘Eight months since the UK coronavirus lockdown forced the temporary closures of restaurants, bars, shops, hairdressers and other small businesses, thousands who are still awaiting payouts from their insurers to cover lost income will hope a supreme court hearing will result in a ruling that favours about 200,000 policyholders.’

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The Guardian, 16th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Was Lockdown Lawful? Thoughts of a former Supreme Court Judge. – 33 Bedford Row

‘Lord Sumption has this evening [27 October] in his lecture entitled “Government by decree – Covid-19 and the Constitution” issued a scathing indictment not only of the political motivations and processes behind lockdown measures, but also the underlying legality of the measures, and their impact upon the long term health of our parliamentary democracy.’

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33 Bedford Row, 27th October 2020

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk

Civil court recovery: More in-person hearings and longer hours – Litigation Futures

‘Up to two-thirds of civil hearings will take place face-to-face over the coming months as the caseload increases, with longer operating hours an option for courts if needed.’

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Litigation Futures, 10th November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Consumer Credit: Covid (Continued) and Concealed Changes – Henderson Chambers

Posted November 11th, 2020 in chambers articles, consumer credit, coronavirus, news by sally

‘The Financial Conduct Authority has again extended its Guidance on consumer debt and there are two largely unpublicised technical changes in the pipeline to beware of.’

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Henderson Chambers, 15th October 2020

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Bar Council braces for £3m loss as Covid hits profession’s income – Legal Futures

Posted November 11th, 2020 in barristers, consultations, coronavirus, fees, news, statistics by sally

‘The Bar Council is bracing for a £3.2m loss next year with revenue from practising fees – which are tied to barristers’ income – set to tumble because of Covid-19.’

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Legal Futures, 11th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Virus backlogs must not become “new normal”, says Lord Chief – Legal Futures

‘The Lord Chief Justice told MPs yesterday that he is “extremely concerned” that the backlogs that have grown across the justice system since March should not be “viewed by anybody as the new normal”.’

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Legal Futures, 11th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CVAs, COVID-19 and Rescue Culture – 3 Hare Court

Posted November 10th, 2020 in company law, coronavirus, insolvency, news by sally

‘Businesses across the United Kingdom are facing treacherous times. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent restrictions have caused many businesses to suffer a pronounced drop in income, turnover and profits whilst still being liable to pay overhead costs such as rent to landlords. When businesses start to re-open, they will need to find a way to pay the overhead costs accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ongoing costs.’

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3 Hare Court, 2nd November 2020

Source: www.3harecourt.com

Second Coronavirus Lockdown – The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.4) Regulations 2020 – 33 Bedford Row

Posted November 10th, 2020 in coronavirus, freedom of movement, news, regulations by sally

‘Further to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s televised statement to the nation on Halloween and his statement to Parliament on 2nd November, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 were laid before Parliament on 3rd November (pursuant to s.45C(1) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984).’

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33 Bedford Row, 5th November 2020

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk

Getting off the hook: A guide to securing release from contractual obligations and varying public contracts in light of COVID-19 – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted November 10th, 2020 in amendments, contracting out, contracts, coronavirus, news, regulations by sally

‘Given the current challenging economic circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, which the authors fear may worsen over the coming months as employers are weaned off the Government’s furlough scheme, contracting authorities and their contractors may want to be released from obligations under existing contracts (and/or to protect their position having already defaulted on their obligations). Similarly, contracting authorities may want to vary existing contracts going forward. However, for obvious reasons, notably the time and cost involved, the appetite for undertaking a new procurement exercise is likely to be limited. This article therefore provides a guide to the available options for achieving these objectives.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 16th October 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

The Self-Isolation Regulations: Implications for Employers – Henderson Chambers

Posted November 10th, 2020 in coronavirus, employment, health, news, penalties, regulations by sally

‘The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1045 (“the Self-Isolation Regulations”) are the latest in a series of statutory instruments which have, since March 2020, been introduced by UK Government Ministers under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (“the 1984 Act”) in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This Alerter highlights the implications for employers.’

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Henderson Chambers, 9th October 2020

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Reducing Family Law Cases Backlog: Is Arbitration the Answer? – 33 Bedford Row

Posted November 10th, 2020 in arbitration, coronavirus, delay, dispute resolution, family courts, news by sally

‘Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the pandemic has led to delays in the court system, hearings being adjourned and a substantial backlog of all types of cases but especially family cases. Parties wanting speedy justice are resorting to out of court processes such as mediation and arbitration as a means to resolve disputes efficiently to overcome this time-lag.’

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33 Bedford Row, 30th October 2020

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk

Tens of thousands made homeless despite UK ban on evictions during pandemic – The Guardian

‘Tens of thousands of people have been made homeless since the start of the pandemic despite a ban on evictions, the Guardian has found, with charities warning that younger people are falling through the gaps.’

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The Guardian, 8th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Homeworking now a “reasonable adjustment” for disabled lawyers – Legal Futures

‘Employment tribunals may in future need to recognise that homeworking has become an established “reasonable adjustment” to working practices for disabled people, including lawyers, a webinar heard last week.’

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Legal Futures, 9th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Covid-19 prompts UK call for statutory paid bereavement leave – The Guardian

Posted November 9th, 2020 in bereavement, bills, charities, coronavirus, employment, families, news by sally

‘People who lose a close relative or partner should be entitled to two weeks’ statutory paid bereavement leave, the Sue Ryder charity has said.’

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The Guardian, 9th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covid-19: Assisted dying travel allowed during lockdown, says Hancock – BBC News

‘People travelling abroad for the purpose of assisted dying will not be breaking coronavirus travel rules, the health secretary has said.’

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BBC News, 5th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lockdown 2: how does it affect child contact? – Family Law

Posted November 5th, 2020 in children, contact orders, coronavirus, news, regulations by tracey

‘No sooner had clarity been obtained as to how child contact would work within and across the tier system, than the government announced its suspension in England. From 5 November 2020, a 4-week lockdown will begin. Thankfully though, the position on child contact is very much clearer this time around.’

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Family Law, 4th November 2020

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk