Regina (Refugee Action) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Posted April 16th, 2014 in asylum, benefits, budgets, EC law, immigration, judicial review, law reports, standards by tracey

Regina (Refugee Action) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: [2014] EWHC 1033 (Admin);   [2014] WLR (D)  167

‘The Home Secretary had acted unlawfully in failing to identify and take account of certain essential living needs for which provision had to be made in setting the level of cash support under section 96(1)(b) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.’

WLR Daily, 9th April 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Kershaw v Roberts and another – WLR Daily

Posted April 15th, 2014 in budgets, case management, civil procedure rules, costs, law reports by tracey

Kershaw v Roberts and another: [2014] EWHC 1037 (Ch);   [2014] WLR (D)  168

‘Claims issued under CPR Pt 8 were not automatically allocated to the multi-track with the result that the provisions of CPR Pt 29 and the costs management provisions in section II of CPR Pt 3 were of no application unless and until the claim had been allocated to the multi-track by the procedural judge considering the claim.’

WLR Daily, 10th April 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Rule committee allays concern over unintended consequences of costs budgeting extension – Litigation Futures

Posted April 15th, 2014 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news by tracey

‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) has reassured litigators that the new version of the costs management rule coming into force on 22 April will not accidentally catch Commercial Court and other Rolls Building cases being brought into the regime retrospectively.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 14th April 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

First hearing not a case management conference, says High Court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 15th, 2014 in budgets, case management, civil procedure rules, costs, news, trials by tracey

‘A claimant has failed in a High Court Mitchell bid to argue that an initial hearing amounted to a case management conference (CMC) and should be subject to budgeting rules.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th April 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Closure of Hartley’s Day Centre in Shrewsbury ‘unlawful’ – BBC News

‘A council’s decision to close a day centre without proper consultation was unlawful, judges have ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

London litigators lament post-Mitchell “game playing” – Litigation Futures

Posted April 4th, 2014 in budgets, case management, costs, law firms, news by sally

‘The rigidity introduced by the Mitchell judgment has fractured co-operation between solicitors, while costs budgeting has driven up law firms’ costs, according to a survey of civil litigators.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 4th April 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal aid cuts: six lawyers on why they will damage our justice system – The Guardian

‘Why have lawyers taken to the streets to protest against legal aid cuts? Self-interest or because they care about the havoc they see being wrought on our legal system?’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More chambers criticise legal aid deal as BSB consults on returning instructions – Legal Futures

Posted March 31st, 2014 in barristers, budgets, consultations, fees, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘More chambers have come out in open criticism of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) and Bar Council’s deal with the government over legal aid last week.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 31st March 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government unveils massive court modernisation programme – Litigation Futures

Posted March 31st, 2014 in budgets, courts, delay, HM Courts Service, internet, news by sally

‘The government has announced an investment of up to £375m to modernise HM Courts & Tribunals Service over the second half of the decade.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 28th March 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Solicitors and probation workers to strike over plans – BBC News

‘Solicitors and probation officers in England and Wales are staging joint action against changes introduced by the Ministry of Justice.’

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid cuts leave family courts in chaos, experts say – The Guardian

‘Cuts in legal aid are creating chaos in the family courts, according to legal experts, who warn that the resulting delays are having a serious impact on the children of warring parents.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judicial Review Reform: All about the money, money, money? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 28th, 2014 in bills, budgets, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

‘As MPs and Peers consider the Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration)(Amendment)(No 3) Regulations and the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, Angela Patrick, Director of Human Rights Policy at JUSTICE considers the Lord Chancellor’s view that proposed judicial review changes do not restrict access to judicial review remedies or restrict the rule of law.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 26th March 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Barristers call off walkout after legal aid cuts suspended – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2014 in barristers, budgets, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by sally

‘Criminal barristers have called off their industrial action over legal aid payments after reaching a deal with the Ministry of Justice to suspend cuts until after the next general election.’

Full story

The Guardian, 27th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rule committee sets the date for costs budgeting expansion – Litigation Futures

Posted March 27th, 2014 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, news by tracey

‘The extended costs budgeting regime for all multi-track cases worth up to £10m will come into force on 22 April, it was confirmed today.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 27th March 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lawrence family lawyer Imran Khan: ‘We see what the state is capable of’ – The Guardian

‘Imran Khan has been routinely portrayed as an anti‑establishment troublemaker. Now, in the wake of the Ellison report on police corruption, he explains how it feels to be vindicated.’

Full story

The Guardian, 25th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal solicitors to walk out for third time over legal aid cuts – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2014 in budgets, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, news, probation, solicitors by sally

“Criminal solicitors across England and Wales are to stage a two-day walkout at the end of the month to coincide with a strike by probation workers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Premature” bid for RBS case budget only penalised with 50% costs award – Litigation Futures

Posted March 19th, 2014 in banking, budgets, costs, news by tracey

‘The action group that brought a premature application for budgeting in the RBS rights issue litigation will only pay half of the costs of the hearing at this stage, because “the basic proposition that a budgeting exercise would be appropriate may yet be vindicated”.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 18th March 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Policing Minister speech to the APCC – Home Office

Posted March 19th, 2014 in budgets, criminal justice, police, speeches, statistics by tracey

‘Policing Minister Damian Green addresses the Association of Police and Crime Commisioners general meeting.’

Full speech

Home Office, 18th March 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

High court to rule on Chris Grayling’s legal aid cuts for prisoners – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2014 in budgets, judicial review, legal aid, news, prisons by tracey

‘The high court will on Monday rule on a challenge by charities working with prisoners to the legality of legal aid cuts introduced by justice secretary Chris Grayling. The Howard League for Penal Reform and the Prisoners’ Advice Service (PAS) say vulnerable people in the prison system, including inmates with mental health problems and mothers with young babies, will suffer injustice.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jackson reforms a ‘serious risk’ to justice, says Law Society – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 14th, 2014 in budgets, case management, consultations, costs, news, solicitors by tracey

‘Civil litigation reforms implemented last year pose a risk of injustice to clients and a serious reputational risk for solicitors, the Law Society has said.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th March 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk