Stop-and-search use in London rose 40% in lockdown, figures show – The Guardian

Posted August 25th, 2020 in coronavirus, London, news, police, statistics, stop and search by sally

‘Stop and searches in London rose by 40% during lockdown and a lower proportion of them led to arrests, figures show.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suitability, affordability and benefit claims – Nearly Legal

‘A interim judicial review decision from May, but judgment just out. The issue was the suitability of temporary accommodation under section 188 Housing Act 1996 (judicial review necessary, as no s.202 review option on s.188 accommodation).’

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Nearly Legal, 23rd August 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Coronavirus: Bailiffs return to chase pre-lockdown unpaid debts – BBC News

Posted August 24th, 2020 in bailiffs, charities, coronavirus, council tax, debts, fines, news by sally

‘Bailiffs are resuming operations in England and Wales chasing unpaid council tax after a five-month suspension owing to coronavirus.’

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BBC News, 24th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Eviction ban extended by four weeks – Local Government Lawyer

‘The ban on tenant evictions, which was set to expire on Monday 23rd August, has been extended for a further four weeks until 20th September.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law Society and Bar Council at odds over quarantine exemption – Legal Futures

Posted August 24th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, freedom of movement, Law Society, news, trials by sally

‘The Law Society has spoken out against a government clarification sought by Bar Council that means anyone self-isolating after returning from abroad can break quarantine to attend court.’

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Legal Futures, 21st August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Police crack down on illegal raves ahead of introduction of £10k fine – The Guardian

Posted August 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, fines, freedom of movement, news, police, public order by sally

‘Fines of up to £10,000 for those organising illegal raves in England will come into force on Friday following another weekend of unlawful gatherings across the country.’

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The Guardian, 23rd August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Councils warn of “cliff edge” with 500,000 people at risk of eviction once stay on proceedings is lifted – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 21st, 2020 in coronavirus, debts, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, rent, repossession by sally

‘Councils have warned that hundreds of thousands of people could be at risk of eviction when the stay on possession proceedings introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end on 23 August.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Steep fall in injury claims during lockdown – Litigation Futures

‘There was a 38% fall in the number of injury claims registered with the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) during the first three months of lockdown, government figures have confirmed.’

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Litigation Futures, 20th August 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Bar students call on regulator to waive exam requirement – Legal Futures

Posted August 20th, 2020 in barristers, computer programs, coronavirus, examinations, legal education, news by sally

‘A petition calling on the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to waive the requirement that Bar students complete the centralised BSB exams has attracted more than 1,000 signatures on its first day.’

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Legal Futures, 20th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Claimants vow to appeal after High Court dismisses challenge over “downgrading” during pandemic of rights of children with SEN – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has dismissed a legal challenge to the Education Secretary’s decisions to reduce the obligations on local authorities to make statutory educational and health care provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in England during the pandemic.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The position on possession – Hardwicke Chambers

‘Andrew Skelly considers the current restrictions on a landlord’s ability to recover possession, and the emergency measures set out in the Coronavirus Act 2020 that will continue to apply after the automatic stay on possession proceedings comes to an end on 23 August 2020.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 12th August 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

230,000 could lose homes as eviction ban ends in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted August 19th, 2020 in coronavirus, debts, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repossession, statistics by sally

‘A man whose partner died of coronavirus after they moved into their dream flat is among 230,000 people who face having to leave their homes when the government lifts its ban on evictions in England and Wales this weekend.’

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The Guardian, 19th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man jailed for biting Rochdale PC during attack on officers – BBC News

Posted August 19th, 2020 in assault, coronavirus, criminal damage, imprisonment, news, police, sentencing by sally

‘A man who attacked three police officers during the Covid-19 lockdown, one of whom he bit, has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 18th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Four more Nightingale courts open – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, delay, news, solicitors, working time by sally

‘The Law Society has once again urged the government to avoid extending court hours to reduce the justice backlog after four more Nightingale courts opened this week.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Domestic abuse worsened in lockdown for two-thirds of survivors, BBC investigation finds – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, domestic violence, news by sally

‘Data uncovered by Panorama showed there was a call relating to domestic abuse every 30 seconds during the first seven weeks of lockdown.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th August 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A-level student launches legal bid against Ofqual – The Guardian

‘An A-level student has launched a legal bid against the exams regulator Ofqual to “force them to come up with a fairer system”.’

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The Guardian, 16th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

NHS, solicitors and patients group agree Covid-19 claims protocol – Litigation Futures

‘NHS Resolution, the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers (SCIL) and patient safety charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) have signed up to a new protocol to better manage claims during Covid-19.’

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Litigation Futures, 14th August 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

A-level results: ‘Huge mess’ as exams appeal guidance withdrawn – BBC News

‘The exams regulator is reviewing its guidance on how to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades using mock exam results – hours after publishing it.’

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BBC News, 16th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Re Debenhams Retail: do the wages of furloughed employees enjoy super priority in an insolvency? – Hardwicke Chambers

‘The Appellants were the Joint Administrators of Debenhams Retail Ltd (“the Company”), which had entered into administration on 9 April 2020. This had followed decisions in late March to place some 14,000 of its employees on furlough under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (“the Scheme”).’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 11th August 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Revisiting Force Majeure – St Ives Chambers

Posted August 14th, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘Firstly, it should be made clear that force majeure is a clause which allows a party or parties to an agreement to avoid performing it in some way. However, that is dependent on certain events as specified within the agreement occurring.’

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St Ives Chambers, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk