Category: coronavirus

Lord Chancellor accepts unlawfulness of new Legal Aid scheme for immigration and asylum appeals – Garden Court Chambers

Posted August 14th, 2020 in appeals, asylum, case management, chambers articles, consultations, coronavirus, fees, immigration, internet, legal aid, lord chancellor, news by sally

‘On 8 June 2020 the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 (the Amendment Regulations) came into force. The Amendment Regulations established a new fee regime for the remuneration of legal aid providers for appellants whose asylum and immigration appeals are being dealt with under a new Online Procedure which had previously been in pilot phase, but was rolled out widely by the First-tier Tribunal (FtT) in mid-March 2020.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 12th August 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

A-level Students Consider Legal Action Over Downgrade ‘Discrimination’ – Each Other

Posted August 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, education, equality, examinations, government departments, news, school children, universities by sally

‘The government could face legal action over the mass downgrading of A-level results in England, with affected students saying they feel discriminated against over their school’s track-record.’

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Each Other, 13th August 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

UK firms face up to threat of domestic abuse as more staff work from home – The Guardian

Posted August 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, domestic violence, employment, families, news, victims by sally

‘Companies offering training for staff and support including paid leave and emergency accommodation.’

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The Guardian, 13th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Students lodge formal complaint against BPP alleging City favouritism – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 13th, 2020 in bias, complaints, computer programs, coronavirus, examinations, law firms, legal education, news, universities by sally

‘A multifaceted complaint against legal educator BPP from students on its postgraduate solicitor programmes was formally submitted today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chambers giving notice on leases in wake of Covid – Legal Futures

Posted August 11th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, leases, news, working time by sally

‘Barristers may be keen to get back to work but they are not going back to chambers, and nearly a third of sets have given or are considering giving partial notice on their leases, according to new research.’

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Legal Futures, 11th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Boy guilty over Oxford Street ‘coronavirus attack’ – BBC News

Posted August 11th, 2020 in assault, coronavirus, guilty pleas, hate crime, news, racism, young offenders by sally

‘A 15-year-old boy has admitted attacking a student from Singapore who was told “we don’t want your coronavirus in our country”.’

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BBC News, 10th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Where to now? End of eviction ban leaves tenants fearing for future – The Guardian

Posted August 10th, 2020 in coronavirus, debts, government departments, homelessness, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repossession by sally

‘Soon landlords will be able to take action against renters again, which many fear could lead to a rise in homelessness.’

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The Guardian, 9th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Belly Mujinga: no charges after CPS review of rail worker’s Covid-19 death – The Guardian

Posted August 7th, 2020 in assault, coronavirus, Crown Prosecution Service, homicide, news, prosecutions, public order by sally

‘No charges will be brought over the death of Belly Mujinga, the railway worker who died of Covid-19 after allegedly being spat on while at work, prosecutors have decided after reviewing the evidence.’

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The Guardian, 6th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Another recusal refusal – but this time the Court of Appeal steps in – Transparency Project

Posted August 5th, 2020 in appeals, bias, causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, coronavirus, delay, families, judges, news, recusal, remote hearings by sally

‘In the second such case in a month, a judge has refused to recuse herself at the request of a litigant, but on this occasion the Court of Appeal has reversed that decision and ordered that she step down from the case and let another judge take over.’

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Transparency Project, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Coronavirus: ‘Institutional racism left minorities exposed’ – BBC News

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in coronavirus, employment, equality, health, inquiries, news, race discrimination, racism, Wales by sally

‘Institutional racism may have contributed to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities in Wales, a top judge has claimed.’

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BBC News, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ban on prison visits in England and Wales breaches children’s rights, say lawyers – The Guardian

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in children, coronavirus, families, human rights, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons by sally

‘The children of prisoners in England and Wales are having their human rights breached by the ban on jail visits and a lack of video contact, lawyers have claimed, as they begin the first step of legal action against the Ministry of Justice.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs fear firms, chambers and law centres collapsing – Legal Futures

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, law firms, legal aid, legal profession, legal services, Ministry of Justice, news, select committees, solicitors by sally

‘MPs have expressed concern that law firms, chambers and law centres may collapse because of the impact of Covid-19.’

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chris Packham loses appeal against HS2 rail project – The Guardian

Posted August 3rd, 2020 in appeals, climate change, coronavirus, environmental protection, judicial review, news, planning, railways by sally

‘The broadcaster Chris Packham has lost his case against HS2 in the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 31st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government rejects calls to make ‘spiralling’ pet theft a crime – BBC News

Posted July 31st, 2020 in animals, coronavirus, criminal justice, news, theft by sally

‘Calls to make pet theft a specific criminal offence have been rejected by ministers, who say it is covered by existing laws.’

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BBC News, 30th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

SCCO will use remote hearings more once back to normal – Litigation Futures

Posted July 31st, 2020 in coronavirus, costs, courts, electronic filing, news, remote hearings by sally

‘Video and phone hearings are set to become a permanent feature of the Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO) even after the coronavirus pandemic has passed, the Senior Costs Judge has said.’

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Litigation Futures, 30th July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

McKenzie v Leeds Crown Court – Exchange Chambers

Posted July 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, Crown Court, lists, news, time limits by sally

‘The Claimant was due to have his 4 day trial commence in Leeds Crown Court on 27th April 2020. On 23rd March the Lord Chief Justice pronounced that no new trials would commence until further notice. This was categorised during the claim as a “listing decision”; one that affected every single criminal case in the jurisdiction that was pending trial before the Crown Court. The application to extend the Claimant’s CTL was made the same day the decision was made on the recent pro-forma application which states that each application is “made due to the current public health crisis”. The application was heard on what would have been the first day of trial and in a written judgement of the Claimant’s CTL was extended. These applications have been made up and down the country on the same basis and so the claim was of wide public importance.’

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Exchange Chambers, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk

Local Authority Powers: Coronavirus Update ‘Part 2A’ Public Health Orders – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Posted July 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, health, local government, news, regulations by sally

‘As the UK emerges from lockdown, and as local spikes start to emerge, it is increasingly important that new cases of coronavirus are identified quickly and that anyone who may be infectious complies with guidelines on quarantine, self-isolation and contact tracing. This article considers the potential of Part 2A Public Health Orders as a tool for local authorities to enforce testing and quarantine requirements where infectious individuals refuse to comply voluntarily and pose a threat to public health.’

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4-5 Gray's Inn Square, 20th July 2020

Source: www.4-5.co.uk

The Impact of COVID-19 on Landlords of Students Occupying HMOs – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Posted July 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, houses in multiple occupation, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘Measures brought in to tackle the pandemic meant that universities, much like everyone else, had to implement policies of working or learning remotely. These are likely to continue at varying extents across England for the 2020-2021 academic year. If students, in particular those residing otherwise abroad, do not need to attend lectures in person, and face difficulties in returning to England due to travel restrictions, then this is likely to raise an issue for landlords of HMOs targeted at that sector of the market. This is because students renting a room in shared accommodation or those who had agreed to do so for the next academic year are likely to try to surrender their lease. Where does this leave the landlords?’

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4-5 Gray's Inn Square, 17th July 2020

Source: www.4-5.co.uk

New survey reveals justice system hanging by a thread – Bar Council

Posted July 30th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, criminal justice, diversity, news, reports by sally

‘The Bar Council’s latest survey of the barristers’ profession has revealed the profound impact of Covid-19 on justice. It finds a criminal justice system pushed to breaking point and a huge reduction in work and income, forecasting an exodus that could drain the Bar of diversity and diminish access to justice in the future.’

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Bar Council, 27th July 2020

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Towards a New Normal? Possession Claims in the Brave New World – St Ives Chambers

Posted July 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, news, repossession, stay of proceedings by sally

‘The government has confirmed that the stay that has been in place on virtually all possession claims will not be the subject to a further extension.’

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St Ives Chambers, 20th July 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk