Romance fraud reports soar by 40% during coronavirus pandemic, says Which? – The Independent

Posted June 11th, 2021 in coronavirus, fraud, internet, news, statistics by tracey

‘Romance scam reports have soared during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Which? The consumer group’s analysis of Action Fraud data found romance fraud reports were up by 40% in the year to April 2021, compared with the previous year, with more than 7,500 reported scams.’

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The Independent, 11th June 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

More than one in 10 terror suspects arrested in Britain is a child, figures show – The Independent

‘More than one in 10 terror suspects arrested in Britain is a child, figures reveal amid mounting concerns over online radicalisation. Thirteen per cent of those arrested in the 12 months to March under terrorism laws were aged under 18, up five per cent.’

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The Independent, 10th June 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tribunal judges found it “difficult to communicate” at video hearings – Litigation Futures

Posted June 9th, 2021 in coronavirus, judges, news, remote hearings, statistics, tribunals by sally

‘A major report on the impact of the pandemic on the tribunal service has found that almost a third of judges found it “difficult to communicate” at video hearings in the first few months.’

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Litigation Futures, 8th June 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Small claims court delays continue to increase – Litigation Futures

‘Delays in cases going through the civil court continued to rise in the first quarter of 2021, throwing a potentially huge spanner in the works of the whiplash reforms which came into force last week.’

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Litigation Futures, 7th June 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Lord Chancellor outlines his plans to recover the justice system from COVID-19 – Ministry of Justice

‘The Lord Chancellor spoke at the Law Society to thank the hidden heroes who kept justice moving during the COVID-19 pandemic and outlined his plans for recovering the system, as well as propelling it towards a better future.’

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Ministry of Justice, 4th June 2021

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

Kate Shemirani: Nurse who claimed 5G caused Covid symptoms and spread vaccine misinformation struck off – The Independent

‘A leading figure in Britain’s anti-vaccination movement who repeatedly spread coronavirus conspiracy theories, and once called the NHS “the new Auschwitz”, has been permanently struck off the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register.’

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The Independent, 5th June 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rape cases in England and Wales will be hit hard by backlog, says police chief – The Guardian

‘Rape and domestic violence cases in England and Wales will be among the worst hit from the growing backlog in the judicial system, and trials could soon start collapsing because of severe delays, the new crime commissioner for England’s second biggest force has warned.’

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The Guardian, 6th June 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Day to day data on remote hearings in the family courts – Transparency Project

‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service have recently published statistics about the number of hearings conducted remotely, ie by audio, video or on paper, compared with physical in-person hearings, over the course of the coronavirus lockdown. The statistics cover civil and criminal cases as well as family law cases, but it is possible to extract from them a picture of how the family justice system, in particular, has responded.’

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Transparency Project, 4th June 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Napier Barracks: Housing migrants at barracks unlawful, court rules – BBC News

‘The Home Office’s decision to house cross-channel migrants in a “squalid” barracks in Folkestone was unlawful, the High Court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 3rd June 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Number of Covid PI claims remains low “but potential for many more” – Litigation Futures

‘The number of personal injury claims relating to Covid-19 continues to be very low, despite the significant rise in infections over the winter, new figures have shown.’

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Litigation Futures, 3rd June 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Face mask rules: do they really violate personal liberty? – City Law Forum

Posted June 3rd, 2021 in coronavirus, demonstrations, news, regulations by sally

‘Several hundred people assembled in London’s Hyde Park in July 2020 to protest rules making face masks mandatory in shops and supermarkets to help control the spread of COVID-19. This was not an isolated event. Similar protests have occurred in many places around the world in reaction to the prospect of “mask mandates” – especially in the United States.’

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City Law Forum, 2nd June 2021

Source: blogs.city.ac.uk

Mark K Heatley: The Implications of the Hertfordshire County Council Case for Local Democracy – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The High Court recently delivered its judgment in the case of Hertfordshire County Council v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, finding that remote meetings of local councils could not continue after 7 May 2021. This article looks at the decision and considers its impact for future local democracy.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 2nd June 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Eviction ban: A million are in fear of losing their homes, charity says – BBC News

Posted June 1st, 2021 in coronavirus, news, rent, repossession, stay of proceedings by sally

‘As England’s coronavirus eviction ban comes to an end on Monday, around a million households fear losing their homes, a charity says.’

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BBC News, 31st May 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Termination – where did it all go wrong? – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted May 27th, 2021 in construction industry, contracts, coronavirus, news by tracey

‘Is it just me who has seen a lot of disputes regarding wrongful termination since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic? A large proportion of those disputes have concerned whether a party has terminated in accordance with the provisions in a JCT contract. While parties frequently attempt to exercise termination provisions under JCT contracts, very few seem to do so effectively.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 26th May 2021

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

The COVID Inquiry … About Time? – Carmelite Chambers

Posted May 26th, 2021 in chambers articles, coronavirus, government departments, inquiries, news by sally

‘Facing mounting pressure from a number of critics that his delays in implementing lockdowns [the first being imposed in March 2020] cost thousands of lives, the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, on 12th May 2021 announced plans for a public inquiry into the government’s handling of the Covid pandemic, under the powers of the Inquiries Act 2005. It is due to commence in the Spring of 2022. Its terms of reference will not be announced until closer to its start.’

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Carmelite Chambers, 18th May 2021

Source: www.carmelitechambers.co.uk

Option for online exams to become permanent, SRA decides – Legal Futures

‘Emergency measures allowing legal practice course (LPC) students to take their exams at home during the pandemic are to become permanent where there is a “clear rationale” to do so, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has decided.’

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Legal Futures, 25th May 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar: ‘no end to justice emergency’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In April 2020, the Bar Council predicted that 80% of chambers would collapse within a year without urgent financial aid. More than a year on, the pandemic persists – as do the vast majority of chambers. Were the early warnings overblown, or is the future of the bar still at risk?’

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Law Society's Gazette, 24th May 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal bid launched to stop Boris Johnson deleting WhatsApp messages about Covid decisions – The Independent

‘A legal bid has been launched to stop Boris Johnson and his ministers from deleting WhatsApp messages and other communications that would shed light on how they took decisions during the pandemic.’

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The Independent, 23rd May 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family lawyers suffering from job insecurity and stress, survey finds – Legal Futures

‘Only half of family law professionals feel secure in their jobs right now, while a quarter are actively considering leaving the profession due to wellbeing concerns, major research has found.’

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Family Law, 21st May 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Senior judge declines to order Covid vaccination of 86-year-old woman – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 20th, 2021 in consent, coronavirus, disabled persons, elderly, news, vaccination by tracey

‘The Court of Protection has ruled that an 86-year-old woman with dementia should not be either forcibly given a Covid vaccine or deceived into accepting a jab.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th May 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk