Civil Justice Council proposes rule changes to ensure consideration of vulnerability of people in civil proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Civil Justice Council has proposed rule changes that would further ensure that all civil judges, parties and advocates consider vulnerability of people involved in civil proceedings.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 24th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Peer calls for regulation overhaul as CMA plans review – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor peer has urged the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to act now and simplify the legal regulatory regime, saying nothing will change if it is left to the profession.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court rejects judicial review over failure to extend QOCS – Litigation Futures

‘The High Court has rejected a challenge to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) failure to extend qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) to discrimination claims in the county court.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 20th February 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

New setback in race to begin whiplash reform in April – Legal Futures

‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee last week put off approving the rules for the new whiplash portal until next month, it is understood, making the April start-date all-but impossible.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 10th February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Two in five prisons in poor condition, watchdog finds – The Guardian

‘The government is failing in its efforts to improve prison conditions, with record levels of safety breaches and “huge” backlogs in repairs, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has found. The National Audit Office said plans to “provide and maintain safe, secure and decent prisons” had not been carried out.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Crimes unreported as public lose faith in police – BBC News

‘Victims are no longer reporting some crimes to police because so many offenders are never brought to justice. A new report said the public are losing faith in the criminal justice system and have “rumbled” that police do not have the capacity to investigate.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

White men still dominate judiciary, says Justice report – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2020 in diversity, equality, gender, judiciary, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by sally

‘Progress to improve diversity in the judiciary is too slow and there has been stagnation in the appointment of BAME judges, according to a damning report by an influential law reform group whose head warns that senior roles are still “dominated by white men”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

High number of prison deaths are preventable, says damning new report – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in inquests, mental health, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, standards, statistics, suicide by sally

‘The persistently high death toll in prisons is a “national scandal”, with too many deaths avoidable, according to a new report published on Wednesday.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Proportion of UK prisoners with drug problem doubles in five years – study – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2020 in drug abuse, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, statistics by sally

‘The proportion of prisoners developing a drug problem in custody has more than doubled in the past five years, research suggests.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Serious crime victims wait longer for justice after court days cut – The Guardian

Posted January 13th, 2020 in budgets, courts, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics, victims by tracey

‘Victims of serious crime now wait almost a year-and-a-half for the suspects to go on trial while judges sit “idle” after the government cut their sitting days – despite Guardian analysis finding almost half of all crown courtrooms in England and Wales are empty each day.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Proposals for changes to Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme “do not address fundamental issues of sustainability”: Law Society – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 8th, 2020 in consultations, fees, housing, Ministry of Justice, news, repossession by sally

‘A Ministry of Justice consultation on proposed changes to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS) fails to address the fundamental issues of sustainability, the Law Society has claimed.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th January 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge sues MoJ claiming racial discrimination – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 12th, 2019 in bias, harassment, judges, Ministry of Justice, news, race discrimination by tracey

‘A district judge is suing the Ministry of Justice and two supervising judges for unconscious bias, harassment, victimisation, micro-aggression and discrimination after a complaint was made against him by an appellant in one of his cases.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Number of criminals given immediate custodial sentences at lowest level for a decade – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 15th, 2019 in criminal justice, fines, imprisonment, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing, statistics by tracey

‘The number of convicted criminals who are sent straight to jail is at its lowest level for a decade, despite crime rising steadily over the same period, the latest figures have revealed.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th November 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mother to sue justice ministry after probation errors led to son’s murder – The Guardian

‘The Ministry of Justice is to be sued by the mother of a five-year-old boy who was murdered by her boyfriend after an inquest concluded that defects in the probation system contributed to his death.’

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The Guardian, 9th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Over 200 offenders on probation have been convicted of murder since Government shake-up five years ago – Daily Telegraph

‘More than 200 offenders under probation supervision have been convicted of murder since the system was overhauled in 2014 by the then Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.’

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Daily Telegraph, 31st October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MoJ: No change to whiplash reform timetable – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is continuing to work towards April 2020 to implement the whiplash reforms despite the upcoming election, it has confirmed.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 1st November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Separated migrant children given better access to legal aid – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 28th, 2019 in children, families, immigration, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, press releases by tracey

‘Vulnerable migrant children who have been separated from their parents will get quicker and simpler access to legal aid, after new government legislation came into force today (25 October 2019). The Legal Aid for Separated Children Order 2019 will bring non-asylum immigration and citizenship matters into the scope of legal aid for under 18s who are not in the care of a parent, guardian or legal authority.’

Full press release 

Ministry of Justice, 25th October 2019

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

Child sex abuse survivors ‘traumatised again’ by facing attackers in court buildings before hearings – The Independent

‘Survivors of childhood sexual abuse are forced to come face-to-face with their tormentors in court buildings while waiting for cases to be heard, a report has revealed.
Such shocks are among a host of failings by authorities and advisers that are regularly leaving people “at risk of being traumatised all over again” and feeling “discarded” by the justice system.’

Full Story

The Independent, 23rd October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sex abuse compensation rules ‘must change’ – BBC News

‘Rules that mean some victims of childhood sex abuse are denied compensation must be changed, MPs have told the Victoria Derbyshire programme.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Exhumation without church or MoJ approval…- Law & Religion UK

Posted October 22nd, 2019 in burials and cremation, ecclesiastical law, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘On 17 October 2019, the Daily Mail carried the snappily-titled, but detailed headline Remains of Captain Matthew Flinders – the man credited with naming Australia – will be reburied in his home village after being found in London during HS2 dig. The story concerns the remains of Captain Flinders which were discovered during the excavation of St James’s burial ground for the new High Speed rail project; the article explains:

“Following a request by descendants of the Flinders family and the local community that he be returned to his home village of Donington, Lincolnshire, HS2 Ltd’s chief executive Mark Thurston has written to the family to say he can be buried there.”

Well, not quite, for although under secular legislation, as the “nominated undertaker” under the Act, HS2 has the authority for the exhumation of Flinders’ remains and their subsequent retention, re-interment in the Donington churchyard is governed by ecclesiastical law.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 19th October 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com