UK Pensions Ombudsman to launch expedited decision-making for complaints – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 2nd, 2024 in complaints, news, ombudsmen, pensions, pilot schemes by tracey

‘The UK Pensions Ombudsman (PO) will soon launch an expedited determinations scheme to help speed up the resolution of complaints and allow adjudicators to focus on more complex cases.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 2nd October 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Keep out! When justice cannot be seen to be done, how do we know it’s been done? – Transparency Project

‘Magistrates’ courts conducting family justice are now part of the Family Court, established in 2014, and subject to the same rules as those presided over by district, circuit and High Court judges. Under those rules, accredited media reporters and ‘legal bloggers’ (see below) are entitled to attend hearings even if they take place in private, though they can’t report anything without the court’s permission.’

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Transparency Project, 24th September 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Naoise Coakley: “You could be waiting forever”: Managing Autism Assessment Waiting Lists – Essex CAJI

‘In 2023, the York Disability Rights Forum announced their intention to bring judicial review proceedings against the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board on the basis that its adult autism and ADHD assessment pilot pathway was unlawful. The pilot had been introduced in March 2023 in response to increasing numbers of adults seeking an assessment, a growing waiting list, and an existing system which could not keep up. Effectively, the pilot introduced narrowed eligibility criteria so that only adults who were considered ‘at-risk’ were added to the waiting list for an assessment. All other adults could be placed on another waiting list with no end date, and no guarantee of an assessment. The York Disability Rights Forum says that this pilot restricts the rights of neurodivergent people from gaining diagnosis, and may violate the right to family and private life protected under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights.’

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Essex CAJI, 2nd July 2024

Source: essexcaji.org

Controversial Suspected Inflicted Head Injuries pilot launched: Lawyers raise concern about lack of consultation and potential unfairness – Transparency Project

‘When a child suffers a head injury which medical professionals suspect may be inflicted, safeguarding processes are triggered, often leading to care proceedings and the removal of the child from the care of their parents, usuall y for many months and sometimes forever.’

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Transparency Project, 27th June 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Curbs on expert cross-examination could lead to wrongful removals, family silks warn – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 25th, 2024 in child abuse, children, cross-examination, expert witnesses, news, pilot schemes by tracey

‘Senior family lawyers have warned that a little-known pilot project centring on the role and use of expert evidence will see children wrongly taken from their families. The Department for Education-funded pilot is up and running at NHS trusts in Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham with little information available to either the public or family law specialists.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th June 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Paedophiles could be stripped of parental rights under new law – BBC News

‘Paedophiles convicted of serious sexual offences could lose parental rights over their children under a new law.’

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BBC News, 17th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Concerns over violence and threatening behaviour sees robing pilot introduced for judges in Central Family Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘Judges sitting at the Central Family Court will wear robes during proceedings from this week (15 April 2024), in a pilot intended to explore the impact of increased formality in family courts.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

I’ve fought for years to report what really goes on in family courts. At last, journalists can – Louise Tickle – The Guardian

Posted February 1st, 2024 in family courts, media, news, pilot schemes, reporting restrictions by sally

‘Allowing journalists to report on hearings is welcome. Now editors need to give them the resources to be able to tell these complex stories properly.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government announces early legal advice pilot for separating couples – Legal Futures

‘The government is to launch a pilot of early legal advice for separating couples to judge what impact it could have to speed up a resolution.’

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Legal Furures, 26th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Almost half of family courts to allow reporting in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2024 in anonymity, families, family courts, media, news, pilot schemes, reporting restrictions by sally

‘A pilot scheme to allow journalists and legal bloggers to report cases from three family courts in England and Wales is to be extended to almost half of the courts in the countries.’

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BBC News, 12th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Wiltshire Police criticised over Clare’s Law failings – BBC News

Posted November 7th, 2023 in disclosure, domestic violence, news, pilot schemes, police, statistics, victims by sally

‘Former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland said he was “horrified and furious” over failings in a system designed to protect possible victims of domestic violence.’

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BBC News, 6th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK to pilot electronic tagging for domestic abusers leaving prison – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2023 in domestic violence, electronic monitoring, news, pilot schemes, prisons by sally

‘Domestic abusers leaving prison will have to wear electronic monitoring tags in a move that the government says will offer better protection to victims.’

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The Guardian, 1st September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

BSB chief: We cannot stop review websites covering barristers – Legal Futures

Posted August 25th, 2023 in barristers, consumer protection, internet, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has warned that it cannot stop the growing interest in featuring barristers on online review and comparison websites, even if the profession wants it to.’

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Legal Futures, 24th August 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

National deprivation of liberty court: Latest data trends – June 2023 – Family Law

‘In July 2022, the President of the Family Division launched the national deprivation of liberty court. Based at the Royal Courts of Justice, it deals with all new applications seeking authorisation to deprive children of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction and will run for a 12-month pilot phase initially. Nuffield Family Justice Observatory was invited to collect and publish data on these applications.’

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Family Law, 7th August 2023

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Pioneering initiative to force offenders to get clean or face jail time – Ministry of Justice

‘Criminals serving community orders for low level offences will be closely monitored by judges as part of a new pilot forcing offenders to clean up their acts or be put behind bars.’

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Ministry of Justice, 28th June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Offenders on clean-up duty in anti-social behaviour crackdown – Ministry of Justice

‘New Community Payback teams to clean up fly-tipping or vandalism within 48 hours.’

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Ministry of Justice, 22nd June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

The four-day week: handling requests – Kingsley Napley

Posted June 14th, 2023 in bills, chambers articles, employment, news, pilot schemes, working time by sally

‘The jury is still out on whether the four-day week will remain the exception rather than the rule in future. In February, we learned that the majority of UK companies that took part in a six-month pilot in 2022 (offering employees a shorter working week on full pay for the same level of productivity) voted to continue with the trial, with 18 companies deciding to introduce the model permanently.’

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Kingsley Napley, 13th June 2023

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Family Court reporting pilot “risks failure” without improvement in flow of information between court and press, says Family President – Local Government Lawyer

‘A review of the family court reporting pilot carried out by the Transparency Implementation Group (TIG) has highlighted “issues that require guidance”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th June 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

I’ve seen abusers use family courts to control and torment victims – but change is coming – The Guardian

‘A pilot scheme is inviting journalists into England and Wales’s most private courtrooms. This can expose those who use litigation as a weapon.’

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The Guardian, 29th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review pilot ‘will disproportionately affect black barristers’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 23rd, 2023 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, pilot schemes by tracey

‘Black barristers will be disproportionately affected by negative reviews posted on digital comparison platforms, the Bar Standards Board has been told. An event organised by the Black Barristers Network also highlighted the potential limits to what barristers can say publicly in response to negative feedback – a problem that equally applies to law firms and individual solicitors.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd March 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk