Revised transparency code for local government in England in force next month – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2014 in budgets, codes of practice, disclosure, local government, news, parking by sally

‘A revised Local Government Transparency Code is to come into force in England next month, the Department for Communities and Local Government has announced.’

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Local Government, 3rd October 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Domestic violence victims are being forced to face abusers in court ordeal, lawyers warn – The Independent

‘Growing numbers of domestic violence victims are being quizzed by their former partners in court due to cuts in legal aid which have led to a rise in litigation-in-person cases, family law specialists are warning.’

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The Independent, 5th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jackson urges action to extend fixed costs regime – Litigation Futures

Posted October 2nd, 2014 in budgets, costs, judges, news, speeches by tracey

‘Lord Justice Jackson has urged the government to press ahead with introducing fixed costs in non-personal injury fast-track cases, and for work to begin on fixed costs for matters at the lower end of the multi-track.’

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Litigation Futures, 2nd October 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Master Gordon-Saker condemns lack of costs training for judges – Litigation Futures

Posted October 2nd, 2014 in budgets, continuing professional development, costs, judges, judiciary, news, speeches by tracey

‘Master Gordon-Saker, who replaced Peter Hurst as Senior Costs Judge yesterday, has used his first public speech in the role to launch a strongly-worded attack on the lack of training for judges in costs budgeting.’

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Litigation Futures, 2nd October 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Children being denied justice by legal cuts, says children’s commissioner – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2014 in budgets, children, HM Courts Service, housing, legal aid, news, young persons by sally

‘Vulnerable teenagers are being deprived of justice because cuts to legal aid are preventing them from getting representation, a report by the children’s commissioner said on Wednesday.”

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The Guardian, 24th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Feeling the pressure on prisoner release – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2014 in budgets, criminal justice, delay, judges, news, parole, prisons by sally

‘David Calvert-Smith leads a parole board confronted by an unprecedented backlog of hearings and little option but to keep inmates waiting in overcrowded prisons.’

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The Guardian, 24th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council publishes third representational annual report – The Bar Council

Posted September 22nd, 2014 in advocacy, barristers, budgets, costs, diversity, equality, fees, legal aid, news, reports by sally

‘The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today published the third edition of its annual report, ‘Representing the Bar’, which focuses on the organisation’s representational activities and performance against key strategic aims for 2013-14.’

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The Bar Council, 19th September 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

High Court slaps down legal aid reform – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The lord chancellor acted ‘unlawfully’ in the way he consulted on controversial plans to shake up criminal legal aid, the High Court ruled today [19 September].’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 19th September 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau 75 year anniversary: Geese too loud? Lost false teeth? We can help! Celebrating seven decades of the CAB – The Independent

‘In September 1939, the CAB was established with the creation of 200 emergency centres across the country. Today it deals with issues from the fallout of the bedroom tax, benefits cuts and fraud, but in wartime it helped to replace lost ration books and put wives and parents in touch with lost sons and husbands in prisoner-of-war camps.’

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The Independent, 7th September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government defends JR reforms, attacks impact of challenges on development – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 5th, 2014 in budgets, judicial review, news, planning by tracey

‘The Government has defended its reforms to judicial review, saying it is “particularly keen to reduce the extent to which legal challenge unduly hinders economic development and regeneration”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th September 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Family courts unfair for litigants in person, MPs told – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 5th, 2014 in budgets, family courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news, select committees by tracey

‘Litigants in person are not getting fair hearings, the Common’s Justice Committee heard this morning.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd September 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judges at odds over relationship between budgeting and indemnity costs – Litigation Futures

Posted September 1st, 2014 in budgets, costs, indemnities, judges, news, pilot schemes, proportionality by sally

The High Court is at odds over the relationship between budgeting and indemnity costs, after one judge expressly disagreed with the view of another that the costs management order (CMO) should also be the starting point for an assessment of indemnity costs.

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Litigation Futures, 1st September 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lawyers critical of free mediation scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 22nd, 2014 in budgets, dispute resolution, divorce, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The government’s scheme to fund a free mediation session for separating couples will do little to increase the number of people resolving disputes out of court, lawyers have claimed.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 21st August 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Mothers’ names to be added to UK marriage registers in equality move – The Guardian

‘The names of couples’ mothers are to be added to marriage registers for the first time as the government addresses “another inequality in marriage” by introducing the first reforms to the system in more than 150 years, David Cameron has announced.’

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The Guardian, 18th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

£230m wasted on needlessly holding people on remand, says Howard League – The Guardian

Posted August 18th, 2014 in budgets, charities, news, prisons, remand, sentencing, statistics by tracey

‘Up to £230m has been spent “needlessly” holding people on remand in custody who eventually avoided jail, a penal reform charity has said. More than 35,000 people kept on remand in 2013 went on to be either acquitted or be given non-custodial sentences, according to new figures obtained by the Howard League for Penal Reform from the Ministry of Justice through a Freedom of Information request.’

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The Guardian, 18th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

President of Family Division suggests courts should cover costs where legal aid cuts may impact access to justice – The World of Family Law (Garden Court Chambers)

‘Rachael Rowley-Fox explores the suggestion made by Sir James Munby, the President of the Family Division, that courts should spend money to ensure that justice is done in the wake of the legal aid cuts.’

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The World of Family Law (Garden Court Chambers), 8th August 2014

Source: www.gcfamily.wordpress.com

The latest on cuts: Lessons for authorities following R (Draper) v Lincolnshire CC – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted August 7th, 2014 in budgets, consultations, judicial review, libraries, local government, news by sally

‘Mr Justice Collins has handed down judgment in the latest case borne out of government cuts. The judgment provides useful learning to local authorities in particular on how to comply with new duties in relation to expressions of interest under the Localism Act 2011, writes Leon Glenister.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 5th August 2014

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Top judge authorises court to cover legal aid in challenge to government – The Guardian

‘One of the most senior judges in England and Wales has thrown down a direct challenge to the government over legal aid by suggesting courts spend money in defiance of Ministry of Justice cuts to ensure justice is done.’

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The Guardian, 6th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The gaps in the welfare ‘safety net’ and the scope for using judicial review – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Desmond Rutledge considers the use of judicial review as a remedy of last resort in welfare benefits cases where the claimant is in financial crisis.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th August 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Consulting on library cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 4th, 2014 in budgets, consultations, libraries, local government, news by sally

‘Local authorities proposing sensitive budget cuts inevitably cross minefields laden with lethal legal ordnance. This generally includes volatile consultation and equalities devices. But following the decision of Collins J on 17 July in Draper v Lincolnshire County Council [2014] EWHC 2388 (Admin), consultation may have become more complex.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th August 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk