Category: courts

Why are special courts that can help drug users at risk of being scrapped? – The Guardian

Posted June 10th, 2014 in courts, crime, drug abuse, magistrates, news by sally

‘Launched as a pilot programme a decade ago, dedicated drug courts were widely promoted as one of the best hopes of halting addiction-fuelled crime. According to supporters, however, specialist courts are now in danger of being disbanded through lack of official support. The West London drugs court, in Hammersmith, sits only half a day a week and is no longer staffed exclusively by specially trained magistrates.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice speech: IT for the Courts – Creating a digital future – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted June 4th, 2014 in computer programs, consumer protection, courts, internet, sale of goods, speeches by tracey

‘The Right Hon. The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales speech at the Society for Computers and Law Annual Lecture.’

Full speech

Judiciary of England & Wales, 29th May 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Transport for London seeks legal ruling on Uber car-hire software – The Guardian

Posted June 3rd, 2014 in courts, fees, licensing, news, taxis, transport by sally

‘Transport for London (TfL) has begun to apply for a high court ruling on whether Uber, the car-booking software, illegally encroaches on black-cab drivers’ exclusive right to charge metered fares.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Uber app taxi row referred to London’s High Court – BBC News

Posted May 29th, 2014 in courts, fees, industrial action, licensing, news, taxis by michael

‘London’s transport authority has announced it does not believe Uber’s car service is breaking the law by using an app to determine charges.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Capita: lost in translation? – New Law Journal

Posted May 29th, 2014 in courts, interpreters, judges, news, trials by michael

‘A top judge has slated the performance of Capita, the providers of the court interpreting service, after a hearing had to be adjourned when interpreters failed to turn up.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 28th May 2014

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

LCJ: “Once in a lifetime” chance to build proper court IT system – Litigation Futures

Posted May 21st, 2014 in budgets, computer programs, courts, internet, judiciary, news by tracey

‘The Lord Chief Justice has said the country has a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to build a proper court IT system, and failing to make a success of it would be a “disaster”. In a strongly-worded speech highly critical of previous court IT failures, Lord Thomas said that if the Courts Service and the judiciary squandered the £300-£400m promised by the Treasury, it would “not be forgotten” and “we would not be given that money again”.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 21st May 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

What can we learn from drug courts? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 14th, 2014 in budgets, courts, drug offences, judiciary, jurisdiction, news, pilot schemes, recidivists, rehabilitation, Scotland, statistics by sally

‘Why were drug courts set up?

The introduction of drug courts in the UK has followed a slightly different trajectory to other jurisdictions, where drug courts filled an important gap in the range of community-based sanctions available to the courts to deal with drug-related crime.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th May 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

New APIL president blames non-legally qualified lord chancellor for harsh reforms – Litigation Futures

Posted May 6th, 2014 in asbestos, courts, fees, insurance, lord chancellor, news, personal injuries, speeches by tracey

‘A legally qualified Lord Chancellor would not have put in place the recent personal injury changes and court fee reform proposals, the new president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has claimed.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 6th May 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

The Family Justice Reforms – Remarks by Sir James Munby

Posted April 30th, 2014 in children, courts, divorce, families, family courts, legal history, news by sally

The Family Justice Reforms (PDF)

Remarks by Sir James Munby

Judiciary of England and Wales, 29th April 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Couples should be able to divorce without going to court, says top judge – The Guardian

Posted April 30th, 2014 in cohabitation, courts, dispute resolution, divorce, judiciary, married persons, news by sally

‘Couples agreeing to divorce by consent should be able to arrange their own separations with a trip to the registrar rather than having to go to court, the most senior family judge in England and Wales says.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

First victims spared harrowing court room under pre-recorded evidence pilot – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 29th, 2014 in children, courts, cross-examination, evidence, news, pilot schemes, victims, video recordings by sally

‘The first ever case allowing vulnerable victims and witnesses to give evidence ahead of the trial will start tomorrow.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 28th April 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Quarter of billion in court fines written off – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 28th, 2014 in auditors, compensation, costs, courts, delay, enforcement, fines, news, victims by sally

‘Millions of pounds in fines and victim compensation cancelled because offenders can no longer be traced.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Planning Court launch marks start of government’s judicial review reforms – Litigation Futures

Posted April 22nd, 2014 in courts, judicial review, news, planning by sally

‘The first stage of the government’s reforms to judicial review – the creation of a Planning Court for England and Wales – has come into operation with the aim of speeding up the court process and reducing delays to hundreds of infrastructure projects.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 22nd April 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Court closures spark fears of ‘justice deserts’ in rural areas – The Independent

Posted April 22nd, 2014 in county courts, courts, magistrates, news by sally

‘Dozens of the 500 courts in England and Wales are to be shut down under a £75m-a-year Ministry of Justice reform programme, fuelling fears that rural areas will become “deserts” of justice.’

Full story

The Independent, 20th April 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Higher value commercial court cases will not be brought into costs regime retrospectively, says rule committee – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 17th, 2014 in civil procedure rules, Commercial Court, costs, courts, news by tracey

‘Higher value cases raised in the commercial court will not be brought into the civil court costs regime retrospectively when the regime is extended to catch claims worth up to £10 million next week, the Civil Procedure Rules Committee (CPRC) has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th April 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Family head clamps down on care time limit, but hails pioneering court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 17th, 2014 in care orders, courts, drug abuse, family courts, news, time limits by tracey

‘The Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) must be a “vital component” of the unified Family Court, the head of the Family Division said in a judgment highlighting the need for strict adherence to the time limit for resolving care cases.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 16th April 2014

Source: www.lawsocietygazette.co.uk

A Family Justice System Fit for Families – Family Law Week

Posted April 17th, 2014 in children, courts, delay, divorce, family courts, news, time limits by tracey

‘Justice Minister Simon Hughes MP welcomes the family justice changes which come into force on the 22nd April.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 16th April 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Lord Chief Justice steps into Strasbourg row – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 17th, 2014 in courts, extradition, human rights, judges, news, terrorism by tracey

‘Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd urges European Court of Human Rights to leave terror extradition decisions to British courts.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Backlog in coroners’ courts: Bereaved families wait up to seven years for inquests – The Independent

Posted April 14th, 2014 in bereavement, coroners, courts, delay, inquests, news by sally

‘A new standards code calls for investigations to be completed within six months.’

Full story

The Independent, 13th April 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The City of London Solicitors’ Company – Speech by The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Lord Chief Justice

Posted April 9th, 2014 in courts, diversity, judiciary, law firms, London, news, speeches by sally

The City of London Solicitors’ Company (PDF)

Speech by The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Lord Chief Justice

Judiciary of England and Wales, 31st March 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk