Category: courts

Remote justice: a family perspective – Transparency Project

Posted March 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, Court of Protection, courts, families, health, health & safety, live link evidence, news, remote hearings by sally

‘On Tuesday 17 March 2020, less than 24 hours after the Prime Minister’s announcement to the nation to avoid all non-essential contact due to COVID-19, I attended the first entirely remote hearing for the Court of Protection. I was there in a voluntary, non-official capacity to support someone I’ll call “Sarah”, whose father was at the centre of a serious medical treatment case.’

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Transparency Project, 29th March 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Majority of courts to close from Monday – Litigation Futures

Posted March 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, live link evidence, news, tribunals by sally

‘Fewer than half of courts and tribunals will remain open for face-to-face hearings as part of efforts to maintain a “core justice system focused on the most essential cases”, the government has announced.’

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Litigation Futures, 27th March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Is Covid-19 Changing How We Think About Criminal Justice Reform? – Each Other

Posted March 27th, 2020 in barristers, codes of practice, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, health, health & safety, juries, live link evidence, news, prisons, time limits by sally

‘Barrister Tim Kiely examines the unexpected changes taking place within the criminal justice system amid the Covid-19 outbreak.’

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Each Other, 26th March 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Virtual case begins as court rejects trial on papers – Litigation Futures

Posted March 27th, 2020 in civil procedure rules, coronavirus, courts, delay, health, health & safety, intellectual property, live link evidence, news by sally

‘The High Court yesterday adjourned an upcoming trial, saying that the guidance on the coronavirus pandemic did not allow it to take place on the papers.’

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Litigation Futures, 26th March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lord Chancellor praises lawyers’ “heroic” efforts – Legal Futures

Posted March 26th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, domestic violence, health, health & safety, legal services, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, solicitors, trials by sally

‘The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland yesterday praised lawyers for their “heroic efforts” in trying to keep trials going during the coronavirus pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Open justice direction published for remote hearings – Litigation Futures

Posted March 26th, 2020 in bills, civil justice, civil procedure rules, closed material, coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, live link evidence, news, practice directions, remote hearings by sally

‘A new practice direction clarifying when civil courts may derogate from the principle of open justice to conduct hearings remotely in private has been published today.’

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Litigation Futures, 25th March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Calls to protect criminal solicitors, pupils and LPC students – Legal Futures

Posted March 25th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, live link evidence, news, pupillage, solicitors by sally

‘Criminal defence solicitors in London yesterday threatened to stop attending police stations and a protocol to protect pupil barristers was published among efforts to protect the profession during the coronarivus pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Circuit leader tells barristers not to attend court today – Legal Futures

Posted March 24th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, live link evidence, news by sally

‘The leader of the North Eastern Circuit has urged his members not to attend any court hearings today in the wake of the government’s decision last night to lock down the UK.’

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Legal Futures, 24th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jurors packed into crowded courts: how the government defied coronavirus advice – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, juries, news, trials by sally

‘Trials may now be suspended in England, but forcing people to mix in cramped rooms during a coronavirus crisis was risky at best.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government identifies justice system’s keyworkers – Legal Futures

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, employment, health, health & safety, juries, legal profession, Ministry of Justice, news, trials by sally

‘Legal professionals involved in court and tribunal hearings, as well as those advising people deprived of their liberty or on executing wills are ‘keyworkers’, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jury trials on hold in England and Wales due to coronavirus fears – The Guardian

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, delay, health, health & safety, juries, live link evidence, news, trials by sally

‘All jury trials in England and Wales are being temporarily suspended because of the risk of spreading coronavirus infections, the lord chief justice has announced.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Final hearings to go online “very shortly”, says Lord Chief – Litigation Futures

Posted March 20th, 2020 in civil justice, coronavirus, courts, families, family courts, health, health & safety, internet, live link evidence, news by sally

‘Final hearings and hearings with contested evidence in civil and family cases will “inevitably” be conducted using technology very shortly, the Lord Chief Justice has warned.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

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

Posted March 18th, 2020 in chambers articles, civil justice, civil procedure rules, coronavirus, courts, human rights, news by sally

‘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

Coronavirus: Jury trials, message from the Lord Chief Justice – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, juries, news, trials by sally

‘The impact of the public health emergency on the operation of the courts has been under constant review. In all jurisdictions steps are being taken to enable as many hearings as possible to be conducted with some or all of the participants attending by telephone, video-link or online. Many court hearings will be able to continue as normal with appropriate precautions being taken. We must make every effort to maintain a functioning court system in support of the administration of justice and rule of law.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th March 2020

Source: www.judiciary.uk

HMCTS issues guidance for courts and tribunals users during coronavirus outbreak – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 16th, 2020 in codes of practice, coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, HM Courts Service, news, tribunals by sally

‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service has today (13 March) issued guidance for all court and tribunal users during the coronavirus outbreak.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

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

Posted February 26th, 2020 in civil justice, codes of practice, compensation, courts, Ministry of Justice, news, sexual offences, victims, witnesses by sally

‘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

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

Call for new law to protect victims in the justice system – The Guardian

Posted January 27th, 2020 in courts, criminal justice, news, prosecutions, statistics, victims by sally

‘Ministers have been urged to introduce a “victims’ law” to stop people losing faith in the criminal justice system. The move comes after new data revealed that the number of crime victims who decline to press charges has more than doubled in five years.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Courts “more willing” to rule on fundamental dishonesty – Litigation Futures

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in accidents, appeals, courts, deceit, disclosure, fraud, news, road traffic by sally

‘There are signs that courts are more willing to make findings of fundamental dishonesty when they reject claimants’ cases, a leading defendant firm has suggested.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st January 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Jack Simson Caird: The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill and the Rule of Law – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 20th, 2020 in bills, brexit, constitutional law, courts, EC law, news, parliament, rule of law by sally

‘The general election on 12 December 2019 has fundamentally changed the political dynamic driving the Brexit process. The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill (WAB), which will become law before 31 January 2020, has been substantially revised (from the version which was presented in October 2019) to reflect this Government’s approach to Brexit. The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law has published a report that looks in depth at some of the main Rule of Law issues in the WAB. This version of the WAB indicates that this Government will take a different approach from the previous one in terms of dealing with some of the key constitutional issues arising from Brexit. This post examines some of the Rule of Law implications of the main constitutional issues in the WAB.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th January 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org