Court accidentally gave adoption family details to birth father – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Ministry of Justice has been ordered to improve its systems after details of parties in an adoption process were leaked to the birth father. The data breach happened despite the court judge directing that the father be excluded from proceedings as he posed a risk to the family concerned.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Tribunal rejects MoJ’s ‘elaborate’ reason for refusing FOI request – Law Society’s Gazette

The first-tier tribunal has overturned a ruling that the Ministry of Justice was entitled to turn down freedom of information requests relating to cleaners’ pay.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Top UK lawyer hits out at ‘authoritarian’ attacks on legal profession – The Guardian

‘A leading British lawyer has compared UK government attacks on the profession to the tactics used by authoritarian regimes. Helena Kennedy KC, one of the UK’s most renowned criminal lawyers and a Labour peer, said ministers were deliberately creating scapegoats.’

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The Guardian, 10th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Justice secretary must “get to grips” with escalating civil court delays – Legal Futures

Posted September 7th, 2023 in civil justice, courts, delay, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘Justice secretary Alex Chalk must urgently “get to grips” with increasing civil court delays to help thousands of consumers trapped in “legal limbo”, the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 6th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

APIL issues JR over shortcomings in new fixed costs rules – Legal Futures

‘The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has issued judicial review (JR) proceedings challenging aspects of the new rules to extend fixed recoverable costs.’

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Legal Futures, 24th August 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministers ‘dragging feet’ on forcing killers to court as Lucy Letby to skip sentencing – The Independent

‘Ministers have been accused of “dragging their feet” over laws to force killers into the dock as Lucy Letby refuses to appear in court for her sentencing.’

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The Independent, 21st August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courts operate at full throttle to cut delays – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 14th, 2023 in Crown Court, delay, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Crown Court will work at maximum capacity for the third year running to reduce waiting times to deliver access to justice, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has today (11 August 2023) announced.’

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Ministry of Justice, 11th August 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Three-quarters of prisons in England and Wales in appalling conditions as overcrowding fears grow – The Guardian

Posted August 7th, 2023 in health & safety, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, statistics by tracey

‘The vast majority of prisons are providing inadequate conditions or unacceptable treatment, according to an Observer investigation that has led to claims of prisoners being “warehoused” in a system in crisis.’

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The Guardian, 5th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Andy Malkinson: Living costs deduction scrapped for wrongly convicted – BBC News

‘A controversial rule which deducted living costs from compensation paid to wrongly jailed people has been scrapped.’

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BBC News, 6th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New free legal advice for people facing eviction or repossession – Ministry of Justice

‘A new government-backed scheme providing free legal advice to help 38,000 people a year at risk of losing their home launches today (1 August).’

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Ministry of Justice, 1st August 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Tighter direction for use of police cautions unveiled – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 4th, 2023 in cautions, codes of practice, consultations, Ministry of Justice, news, police by tracey

‘Stricter rules to govern how police use cautions will ensure they should only be used for minor, first-time offences under a new code of practice published today (2 August).’

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Ministry of Justice, 2nd August 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Court delays leave tens of thousands of children in limbo after parents split – The Guardian

‘Tens of thousands of children in England and Wales have been left in limbo by delays in the family court that have meant many waiting over a year for their future to be resolved.’

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The Guardian, 1st August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Excluded from justice’: court prevents family of victim from addressing assailant – The Guardian

‘The brother of a man who died after being assaulted in his own home has said he has been “excluded from justice” after magistrates barred him from court on the grounds that his presence would put the teenage attacker under “undue stress”.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Andrew Malkinson: End living cost charge for wrongfully convicted, Tory MP says – BBC News

‘A senior Conservative MP has urged ministers to change prison compensation rules after it emerged a man who wrongly spent 17 years in jail may have money deducted from his payout.’

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BBC News, 30th July 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoJ rules out any exemptions to small claims mediation plan – Legal Futures

Posted July 27th, 2023 in dispute resolution, Ministry of Justice, news, small claims by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has ruled out any exemptions to the requirement for compulsory mediation that it is set to introduce for small claims.’

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Legal Futures, 27th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government to introduce compulsory mediation for small claims – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice is to introduce compulsory mediation for small claims valued up to £10,000, starting with specified money claims.’

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Legal Futures, 25th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal aid JR to be heard in run-up to Christmas – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A judicial review of the lord chancellor’s decision not to raise criminal legal aid fees for solicitors by the minimum 15% recommended by a government-commissioned review will be heard in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Gazette has learned.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th July 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK response to UN Committee Against Torture’s list of issues – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 17th, 2023 in Ministry of Justice, news, torture, United Nations by tracey

‘The UN Committee Against Torture presented a List of Issues prior to submission of the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This is part of the reporting cycle under the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. This paper is the response submitted by the UK government to the Committee.’

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Ministry of Justice, 17th July 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Sexual violence victims in UK forced to wait years for counselling and support – The Guardian

‘Victims of sexual violence in England and Wales are facing waits of up to two and a half years for counselling, help with the legal system and trauma therapy, according to figures obtained by the Observer.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal aid cuts denying vulnerable women access to justice, says thinktank – The Guardian

‘Vulnerable women in England and Wales, including survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, are being denied justice because of cuts to the civil legal aid budget, a thinktank has said.’

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The Guardian, 13th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com