IPCC reform: the challenges – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 25th, 2015 in complaints, consultations, media, news, ombudsmen, police by sally

‘Keen observers of UK policing issues will be forgiven for having missed one of the biggest stories of the year so far: the planned complete overhaul of the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), including the introduction of a national police ombudsman supported by regional ombudsmen.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Courts to move from ‘physical paradigm’ – new HMCTS chief – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 24th, 2015 in consultations, courts, news, speeches, tribunals by tracey

‘Proceeds from the sale of underused court buildings will be invested in technology to move away from the “physical paradigm”, HM Courts and Tribunals Service’s new chief executive said today in her first public speech in the role.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoJ consults on costs protection in environmental litigation – Litigation Futures

Posted September 22nd, 2015 in consultations, costs, EC law, environmental protection, news by sally

‘The government has launched a consultation on steps to bring the UK into line with recent judgments of the European Court of Justice on costs protection for certain environmental challenges.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 21st September 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Court fee hikes will tip justice balance towards rich – bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 16th, 2015 in barristers, civil justice, consultations, courts, equality, fees, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Bar Council has warned that government plans to increase court fees for a second time would unbalance civil justice, giving rich people and big businesses an unfair advantage.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Police should visit burglary victims, crime minister says – BBC News

Posted September 16th, 2015 in budgets, burglary, consultations, drug offences, news, police, statistics, victims by tracey

‘Police officers should always attend the homes of burglary victims, the crime minister has said. Mike Penning said he disagreed with comments by the head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, who said the public should not expect to see an officer after a break-in.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update September 2015 – Family Law Week

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during August 2015.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 13th September 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Unfair law fails to protect logbook loan consumers – Law Commission

‘Logbook loan borrowers have too little protection – and those who unwittingly buy cars subject to logbook loans have none at all. Today the Law Commission opens a consultation to reform the archaic law underlying logbook loans – the “Bills of Sale Acts” – which remains unchanged since Victorian times.’

Full story

Law Commission, 9th Spetember 2015

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Police volunteers and staff powers consultation launched – Home Office

Posted September 10th, 2015 in consultations, police, press releases, volunteers by tracey

‘Home Secretary announces proposals for extra powers for police staff and volunteers.’

Full press release

Home Office, 9th September 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

European rules would make it harder for LeO to reject complaints – Legal Futures

Posted September 8th, 2015 in complaints, consultations, dispute resolution, EC law, legal ombudsman, news by sally

‘The European directive on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) will not only extend the period for making complaints about lawyers from six to 12 months, but reduce the grounds for the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) to reject them, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th September 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

School sex crime reports in UK top 5,500 in three years – BBC News

‘More than 5,500 alleged sex crimes in UK schools were reported to police in the last three years, BBC figures show.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Striking workers may have to identify themselves to police, carry a letter of authorisation and wear an armband under proposed reforms – The Independent

‘Every worker wanting to join a strike picket could be forced to identify themselves to police, carry a letter of authorisation and wear an armband, under proposed reforms to trade union laws that could be in breach of international agreements, human rights groups have warned.’

Full story

The Independent, 6th September 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Over 40% of medical negligence cases take two or more years to settle, research reveals – Litigation Futures

‘It takes two years or more for 42% of medical negligence cases to settle or for damages to be awarded by the courts, research by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has revealed.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 4th September 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Is the Government’s recent Trade Union bill compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights? – Cloisters

Posted August 27th, 2015 in bills, consultations, human rights, news, trade unions by sally

‘In what has been billed as the biggest crackdown on trade union rights for 30 years, the Conservative government have published a draft Trade Union Bill along with three separate consultation documents on ballot thresholds in important public services, hiring agency staff during industrial action and tackling intimidation of non-striking workers.’

Full story

Cloisters, 4th August 2015

Source: www.cloisters.com

Regina (West Berkshire District Council and another) v Department for Communities and Local Government – WLR Daily

Posted August 21st, 2015 in consultations, housing, judicial review, law reports, local government, planning by sally

Regina (West Berkshire District Council and another) v Department for Communities and Local Government[2015] EWHC 2222 (Admin); [2015] WLR (D) 367

‘The Government’s decision, announced by way of written ministerial statement and effected by amending National Planning Practice Guidance, to make alterations to the national policy for the provision of affordable housing, was unlawful.’

WLR Daily, 3rd July 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

BSB seeks power to fine barristers cleared by disciplinary tribunals – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is seeking the power to impose fines of up to £1,000 on barristers cleared by disciplinary tribunals, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 21st August 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Defendants ‘venue shop’ for more lenient sentence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 20th, 2015 in consultations, defence, magistrates, news, sentencing by sally

‘Magistrates should be trained to apply sentencing guidelines correctly to stop defendants ‘venue shopping’ for a more lenient sentence, the Law Society has said.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 18th August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Remove ‘barristers’ from Victims’ Code, says Society – Law Society’s Gazette

‘‘Out-of-date’ references to barristers in a code of practice for crime victims should be amended, the Law Society has said in response to a Ministry of Justice consultation.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Council defeats High Court challenge to borough-wide selective licensing – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 18th, 2015 in consultations, landlord & tenant, licensing, local government, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge to Croydon Council’s decision to introduce a selective licensing scheme for the whole borough.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th August 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

LSB publishes report on regulation of in-house lawyers – Legal Services Board

‘The Legal Services Board publishes today responses received to its discussion paper: Are regulatory restrictions in practising rules for in-house lawyers justified? as well as its summary of those responses.’

Full press release

Legal Services Board, 29th July 2015

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Firearms – making the law more balanced and more effective – Law Commission

Posted August 7th, 2015 in consultations, firearms, press releases by tracey

‘The law governing the ownership and use of firearms is complex and difficult to apply. It is spread across a number of pieces of overlapping legislation, creating significant practical difficulties for investigating authorities and prosecutors, and generating uncertainty for the licensed firearms community.

Today the Law Commission is publishing a scoping consultation paper that identifies what those most pressing problems are. It also makes some provisional proposals as to how they could be remedied. We are asking consultees for their views on the suitability of these remedies.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 21st July 2015

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission