EHRC urges compulsory disability training for lawyers – Legal Futures

‘Disability awareness should be a professional requirement, and a mandatory element of criminal lawyers’ CPD, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has recommended.’

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Legal Futures, 15th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Transparency and risk assessments : A Covid-Catch 22 – Transparency Project

Posted May 21st, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health & safety, HM Courts Service, news by sally

‘It is encouraging that HMCTS (Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has published their organisational risk assessment, dealing with the broad approach to the assessment of risk around the attendance of public and professionals at court hearings during the Covid-19 outbreak. It is for others to comment on whether the apparent assumption that adherence to a two metre social distancing rule within court buildings will in fact be safe, though we note that some materials suggest that spending long periods of time in a confined room, especially an air conditioned one, is unlikely to be risk free. People can however, make up their own minds about that assessment and whether or not it is wise for them to attend court if not essential.’

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Transparency Project, 20th May 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Civil and family cases being adjourned “for no apparently good reason”: Bar Council – Local Government Lawyer

‘Many civil and family cases are being adjourned “for no apparently good reason”, the Chair of the Bar Council, Amanda Pinto QC, has claimed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Covid-19 testing extended to frontline court staff and judges – Law Society’s Gazette

‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service says decisions on personal protective equipment are in line with official guidance following enquiries by the Gazette about what measures are being taken to protect staff at courts being kept open during the pandemic.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st April 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Delivering justice during the COVID-19 pandemic – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Maintaining access to justice and enabling people to exercise their rights and have effective participation in the legal system has never been more important than now. The judiciary are quickly adapting their ways of working to deliver justice during the coronavirus pandemic.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 3rd April 2020

Source: www.judiciary.uk

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

‘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

Court reforms may not be completed in time, PAC warns – Legal Futures

Posted November 6th, 2019 in accounts, courts, delay, HM Courts Service, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘The government’s court modernisation programme may not be completed by the deadline of 2023, the House of Commons public accounts committee (PAC) has warned in its latest report on the project.’

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- Legal Futures, 6th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chaotic court system threatens justice for vulnerable, say MPs – The Guardian

‘The most vulnerable in society are at risk of being excluded from access to justice due to poor digital skills, lack of legal advice, court closures and “dilapidated” courthouses, MPs have warned in a damning critique of the government’s modernisation programmes.’

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The Guardian, 31st October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Courts chief: closures weren’t based on “real travelling times” – Legal Futures

Posted October 17th, 2019 in budgets, courts, HM Courts Service, Ministry of Justice, news, transport by sally

‘Many court closures in the past have not been based on the real travelling times it would take people to get to an alternative building, the chief executive of HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has admitted.’

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Legal Futures, 17th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

77 more courts in England and Wales to close – The Guardian

Posted September 13th, 2019 in budgets, courts, delay, HM Courts Service, live link evidence, news, ombudsmen, statistics by tracey

‘Nearly 80 more courts in England and Wales are due to close under a justice transformation scheme that is falling behind schedule, a watchdog’s report has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 13th September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Too early” to say online court is the future, research warns – Legal Futures

Posted August 9th, 2019 in courts, electronic filing, HM Courts Service, internet, news by tracey

‘There is as yet “no clear answer” to the question of whether an online court will facilitate easier access to the court system, research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 9th August 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Dilapidated’ courts need millions for repairs, says top judge – The Guardian

‘Courts in England and Wales are suffering from decades of neglect and need an injection of hundreds of millions of pounds for repairs, the lord chief justice has told MPs.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs cast severe doubt on court modernisation – Legal Futures

Posted July 20th, 2018 in civil justice, courts, criminal justice, HM Courts Service, news by tracey

‘MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC) said today that they have “little confidence” that the court modernisation programme can be delivered.’

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Legal Futures, 20th July 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Plans to close courts across the UK could see suspects failing to turn up for hearings, report warns – Daily Telegraph

‘Plans to close courts across the UK could see suspects failing to turn up for hearings, the public accounts committee has warned.’

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Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court security chaos: Judge slams ‘chronic failure’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 11th, 2017 in contracting out, HM Courts Service, judges, news, security companies by sally

‘A judge has publicly condemned HM Courts & Tribunals Service and an outsourced security company by lifting the lid on the ‘chronic’ and ‘lamentable’ situation at his court, as the spotlight continues to shine on security across the court estate.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th December 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

HMCTS launches new consultation on flexible court hours pilots after heeding objections – Legal Futures

Posted October 30th, 2017 in consultations, courts, diversity, HM Courts Service, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has launched a new consultation on flexible operating hours pilots which accepts the possibility that extending the hours of courts, although desirable, might have to be abandoned altogether.’

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Legal Futures, 26th October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New court complex planned to bolster City of London after Brexit – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2017 in courts, fraud, HM Courts Service, internet, London, news by sally

‘A major court complex specialising in cybercrime and fraud cases is to be built in the City of London to promote the UK’s financial and legal services post-Brexit.’

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The Guardian, 9th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Be prepared to criticise judges pushing reform,” Bar Council chair tells barristers – Legal Futures

Posted September 11th, 2017 in barristers, complaints, HM Courts Service, judges, news by tracey

‘The rise in judge-led reform means that barristers may to start speaking out against those they appear before, the chairman of the Bar Council has said.’

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Legal Futures, 11th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Administrative’ solution to employment tribunal fee issues imminent – OUT-LAW.com

‘A short stay on employment tribunal claims brought “in reliance upon” the Supreme Court’s recent finding that the fee regime introduced in 2013 was unlawful has been lifted by the tribunal service.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th August 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Court Service to test ‘virtual hearing’ prototype – Legal Futures

‘HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is working with Microsoft to build a prototype for a fully virtual hearing, which will tested in October, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 15th August 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk