Category: criminal justice

Speech by Lord Justice Gross: Disclosure – Again – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted June 21st, 2018 in case management, criminal justice, disclosure, police, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice Gross: Disclosure – Again.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 19th June 2018

Source: www.judiciary.uk

MPs warned of court modernisation risks – Legal Futures

Posted June 18th, 2018 in civil justice, courts, criminal justice, electronic filing, news, select committees by sally

‘Evidence provided to MPs by those involved in or observing the courts have outlined wide-ranging concerns about the government’s court modernisation programme.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 18th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council statement on AGFS vote – The Bar council

Posted June 14th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘Statement from Andrew Walker QC, Chair of the Bar, and Richard Atkins QC, Chair-Elect of the Bar, on the criminal Bar’s vote on the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS).’

Full press release

The Bar council, 12th June 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

52:48 again – criminal barristers vote to accept government legal aid deal – Legal Futures

Posted June 13th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by sally

‘The criminal Bar has narrowly voted to accept the government’s offer of £15m additional funding for the advocates’ graduated fee scheme, a result described as “neither a defeat nor a victory”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers in England and Wales call off industrial action – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal profession, news by sally

‘Criminal barristers have voted by a narrow margin to call off industrial action over fees that has been disrupting court cases across England and Wales for the past few months.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bar Council chair says he would vote for government’s criminal legal aid deal – Legal Futures

Posted June 8th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by sally

‘The chairman of the Bar Council said yesterday that he would support the £15m deal being offered by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to end the action over criminal legal aid fees, as barristers began voting on whether to accept it.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 8th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court users “must buy in to reforms”, says MoJ as it pledges vulnerable will not be left behind

Posted June 7th, 2018 in civil justice, courts, criminal justice, elderly, electronic filing, mental health, news, select committees by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice’s top civil servant has told MPs that the government’s massive court reform programme will have failed if it does not carry the support of those who use the courts.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 7th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers bring flexible courts into legal aid action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 31st, 2018 in barristers, courts, criminal justice, flexible working, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘Criminal barristers refusing to take on new legal aid work have asked the government to abandon plans to test new operating hours for courts, as heads of chambers prepare to discuss whether or not to accept the government’s surprise offer of investment last week.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 30th May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Gauke: criminal bar’s action to disrupt the courts is unacceptable – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 24th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by tracey

‘A dispute between the government and the criminal bar over legal aid fees shows no signs of being resolved soon, after the lord chancellor said he was disappointed by the action being taken by advocates and declaring that any disruption to the courts is “unacceptable”‘.

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 24th May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New legislation will modernise the courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 24th, 2018 in civil justice, courts, criminal justice, judiciary, lists, press releases by tracey

‘The Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill will increase efficiency by allowing greater flexibility to deploy the right judge to the right case.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 23rd May 2018

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

Right to see Parole Board decisions comes into force – The Guardian

Posted May 22nd, 2018 in criminal justice, disclosure, news, parole, reasons by sally

‘Members of the public will be able to request summaries of Parole Board decisions on whether prisoners are safe to release under a law change prompted by the handling of the case of serial sex attacker John Worboys.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Just four of 100 highest-earning criminal defence barristers are women – Legal Futures

Posted May 21st, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, news, remuneration, women by sally

‘Women barely feature among the top 100 criminal defence barristers when judged by earnings, new figures have shown, and the Bar has been warned that the government could use EU rules on equality in procurement to force change.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 21st May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

ABSs can facilitate criminal legal aid revolution, argues former justice minister – Legal Futures

Posted May 21st, 2018 in alternative business structures, criminal justice, legal aid, news by sally

‘The legal market is “totally fragmented, under-capitalised, technologically semi-illiterate and structurally redundant”, a former justice minister has claimed, arguing that a smaller number of big firms is the answer to the problems with criminal legal aid.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 21st May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

HMCTS behind schedule on “ambitious” court reform programme, says watchdog – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 11th, 2018 in budgets, civil justice, courts, criminal justice, delay, electronic filing, news by sally

‘HM Courts Service is behind where it expected to be at this stage of its ambitious reform programme, the National Audit Office has warned.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 10th May 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ministry of Justice “a little frustrated” by legal aid strike as CBA recommends ‘no returns’ policy – Legal Futures

Posted May 10th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news, rule of law, select committees by sally

‘David Gauke, the justice secretary and Lord Chancellor, has admitted that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is feeling “a little frustrated” by the direct action taken by criminal law barristers over legal aid fees.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 10th May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government defeats bid to annul legal aid reform as MPs call for more support for criminal Bar – Legal Futures

Posted May 9th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, diversity, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘The government yesterday defeated a Labour attempt to annul the legislation changing the scheme through which criminal defence advocates are paid for carrying out publicly funded work in the Crown Court, which has led to over 100 chambers declining instructions.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barristers in England and Wales ‘in grip of mental health crisis’ – The Guardian

Posted May 8th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, legal aid, legal profession, mental health, news by sally

‘Criminal barristers are in the grip of a mental health crisis caused by significant increases in the amount of digital evidence, the number of historical sexual assault cases and long hours, the body that represents them has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 6th May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Men wrongfully imprisoned for 24 years seek compensation – The Guardian

Posted May 8th, 2018 in compensation, criminal justice, human rights, miscarriage of justice, news, reports by sally

‘The fairness of the criminal courts process goes on trial this week when two men who spent a total of 24 years wrongfully imprisoned seek compensation for their ordeals.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Nothing to lose’: Bar ponders no returns policy to escalate protest – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 4th, 2018 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Criminal barristers are close to stepping up their action against legal aid cuts by implementing a ‘no returns’ policy in addition to refusing to taking on new work. The Gazette understands the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) is actively considering encouraging members to implement the policy.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 3rd May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Senior presiding judge issues guidance on bar boycott – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 3rd, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, judges, news by tracey

‘Judges have been issued with guidance on how to proceed with cases affected by the criminal bar’s legal aid action – including guidance should the action escalate.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 2nd May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk