Miscarriage of justice body’s workload doubled despite severe cuts – report – The Guardian

‘The miscarriage of justice watchdog has suffered the “biggest cut” of any part of the criminal justice system since 2010 and its caseload has more than doubled over the same period, according to a parliamentary investigation.’

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The Guardian, 5th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Call for vulnerable victims to give video evidence amid courts backlog – The Guardian

‘Up to 10,000 vulnerable victims facing long delays for trials should be allowed to give evidence by video in an attempt to stop them falling out of the system, according to the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 5th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rape social media posts: How speaking out got twin sisters sued – BBC News

‘Two sisters say they’ve been silenced by the man they reported for sexual assault after he sued them for talking about what happened.’

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BBC News, 24th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Victims’ law call amid falling confidence in criminal justice – BBC News

Posted February 24th, 2021 in codes of practice, criminal justice, Ministry of Justice, news, victims by sally

‘The victims’ commissioner for England and Wales has called for a law to ensure people affected by crime are treated properly as they wait for justice.’

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BBC News, 24th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Litigants baffled as civil procedure rules move to new site – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lawyers and litigants awoke this morning to the wholesale move of procedure rules to a government website described by one as “unusable”.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th February 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

DPP reveals concerns over age of criminal responsibility – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The director of public prosecutions has called into question the age of criminal responsibility amid fears too many children are facing adult justice.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th February 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Abuse survivor calls for UK children born of rape to have ‘victim’ legal status – The Guardian

‘One of the survivors of the Rotherham grooming scandal has asked the government to give children born from rape legal “victim” status so they can receive specialist help and potentially prosecute their fathers.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘It is helpful to wear the uniform’: barrister’s wig enjoys surprising popularity – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2021 in barristers, court dress, criminal justice, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘he justice secretary, Robert Buckland, is animated about the conduct of some lawyers, and what he intends to do about it. Invited by the Daily Mail this week to give his views on the immigration system, Buckland said he intended to bring in reforms to stop the public “being taken for a ride” by lawyers bringing challenges to prevent the last-minute deportation of their clients.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Time to consider regulating lawtech firms, report says – Legal Futures

‘The time has come for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to consider whether lawtech companies, along with other unregulated legal services providers, should be regulated, the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 16th February 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New rules for legal practice: guidance for legal professionals – Family Law

‘The Ministry of Justice has published a page on the gov.uk website bringing together guidance for legal professionals on the new rules for various areas of legal practice.’

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Family Law, 28th January 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Financial Remedy Update, January 2021 – Family Law Week

‘Naomi Shelton, Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP considers the important news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during December 2020.’

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Family Law Week, 21st January 2021

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Terrorism watchdog to open inquiry into radicalisation in prison – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2021 in inquiries, Islam, Ministry of Justice, news, ombudsmen, prison officers, prisons, terrorism by tracey

‘An inquiry into the way prisons deal with convicted terrorists is being launched by the independent terror watchdog amid concerns of growing radicalisation behind bars.’

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The Guardian, 24th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covid leading to four-year waits for England and Wales court trials – The Guardian

‘Defendants, victims including teenagers, and witnesses are having to wait up to four years from the time of an alleged offence to the case reaching crown court trial because of delays caused mainly by Covid.’

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The Guardian, 10th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bar instructs lawyers to fight Covid-19 operating hours plan – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The criminal bar has instructed heavyweight law firm Mishcon de Reya to help it fight controversial proposals to extend Covid-19 operating hours to more courts. HM Courts & Tribunals Service is considering rolling out the model from January. A rapid consultation on the proposals closed yesterday.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th December 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoJ plans to cut “hopeless” Upper Tribunal appeals – Litigation Futures

‘The current test for appeals from the Upper Tribunal to the Court of Appeal is “not strict enough to prevent misuse” of the system by those wanting to benefit from delays caused by “hopeless challenges”, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said.’

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Litigation Futures, 7th December 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Indefinite sentences ‘the greatest single stain on justice system’ – The Guardian

Posted December 4th, 2020 in criminal justice, imprisonment, judges, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing by sally

‘A former supreme court justice has called for urgent action in dealing with prisoners languishing under indefinite sentences, branding the now defunct scheme “the greatest single stain on our criminal justice system”.’

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The Guardian, 3rd December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Criminal justice system is ‘on its knees’, says top English lawyer – The Guardian

‘Crown court cases are being delayed until 2023, the innocent penalised more than the guilty, and the under-funded, criminal justice system brought “on its knees”, according to the chair of the Criminal Bar Association in England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judicial review challenge to end after Government uses emergency procedure to formalise requirement for bailiffs not to enforce warrants and writs – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Government has issued a statutory instrument under emergency procedures to prevent, except in specified circumstances, bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) attending at a dwelling house to execute a writ or warrant of possession, execute a writ or warrant of restitution or deliver a notice of eviction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th November 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judicial review challenge to end after Government uses emergency procedure to formalise requirement for bailiffs not to enforce warrants and writs – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Government has issued a statutory instrument under emergency procedures to prevent, except in specified circumstances, bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) attending at a dwelling house to execute a writ or warrant of possession, execute a writ or warrant of restitution or deliver a notice of eviction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th November 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ministry of Justice faces judicial review over requirement on bailiffs not to enforce evictions – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Ministry of Justice has been hit with a judicial review challenge over the ongoing refusal to enforce warrants and writs by bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th November 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk