High court rejects call to free 736 detainees at risk from coronavirus – The Guardian

‘The high court has rejected calls to free hundreds of immigration detainees who, lawyers and human rights activists say, are at risk from Covid-19 while behind bars.’

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The Guardian, 26th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK abortion law briefly changes during Covid-19 outbreak – The Guardian

Posted March 25th, 2020 in abortion, coronavirus, government departments, health, internet, news by sally

‘The UK government published then deleted changes to abortion law that would have allowed women to access medical terminations without travelling to a clinic, leaving women’s health charities “staggered”.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Vice-President of Court of Protection issues further guidance for judges and practitioners on hearings – Local Government Lawyers

‘No hearings in the Court of Protection which require people to attend are to take place unless there is a genuine urgency and it is not possible to conduct a remote hearing, the Court’s Vice-President has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK eviction ban promise broken, say critics – The Guardian

Posted March 25th, 2020 in bills, coronavirus, emergency powers, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

‘The “complete ban” on evictions promised by the government has been widely criticised after it emerged that the coronavirus bill merely extends the notice required for possession, from two months to three.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

PI industry protocol aims to prevent Covid-19 game-playing – Litigation Futures

‘A protocol aimed at cutting out opportunistic tactics by either claimants or defendants in personal injury (PI) cases during the Covid-19 pandemic has been unveiled by leading claimant firm Thompsons and the Association of British Insurers (ABI).’

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Litigation Futures, 25th March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Calls to protect criminal solicitors, pupils and LPC students – Legal Futures

‘Criminal defence solicitors in London yesterday threatened to stop attending police stations and a protocol to protect pupil barristers was published among efforts to protect the profession during the coronarivus pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Coronavirus: Inmates could be freed to ease virus pressure on jails – BBC News

‘The government is considering releasing some offenders from prisons in England and Wales to ease pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.’

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BBC News, 25th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Emergency coronavirus legislation passed by MPs without opposition – The Guardian

‘Emergency legislation giving sweeping powers to ban gatherings and forcibly quarantine suspected coronavirus patients was passed by MPs on Monday night, despite continued worries about civil liberties and the potential effect on vulnerable people.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus: What’s in the emergency legislation? – BBC News

‘The government has passed all stages of its 329-page emergency bill through the House of Commons.’

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BBC News, 24th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Circuit leader tells barristers not to attend court today – Legal Futures

Posted March 24th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, courts, live link evidence, news by sally

‘The leader of the North Eastern Circuit has urged his members not to attend any court hearings today in the wake of the government’s decision last night to lock down the UK.’

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Legal Futures, 24th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Jurors packed into crowded courts: how the government defied coronavirus advice – The Guardian

Posted March 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, health, health & safety, juries, news, trials by sally

‘Trials may now be suspended in England, but forcing people to mix in cramped rooms during a coronavirus crisis was risky at best.’

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The Guardian, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

SRA will take “pragmatic” approach to breaches during pandemic – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has finally issued guidance to those it regulates on dealing with the coronavirus, stressing it will be “pragmatic” when taking action over rule breaches related to the pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 24th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

COVID-19 and family courts: Links in one place to new arrangements – Transparency Project

‘There’s been a flurry of new guidance in response to the pandemic. We’ve gathered some useful links (with key definitions) to help families, advice workers and professionals find and use practical information more easily.’

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Transparency Project, 21st March 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Emergency legislation on possession claims – Nearly Legal

‘I’ve seen the draft amendments to the Coronavirus Bill on housing possession. A word of caution, this was a draft from 22 March, not the actual amends due to be put forward today 23 March. I was waiting for those to be made public to check, but that has not happened as of 6 pm. There may have been some changes, but my understanding is it was going ahead as per the draft.’

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Nearly Legal, 23rd March 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Legal aid fraud trial stopped as barristers self-isolate – Legal Futures

Posted March 24th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, delay, fraud, health, legal aid, live link evidence, news, solicitors by sally

‘The trial of nine lawyers over an alleged plot to scam £11m from the legal aid system was abandoned last Friday after several counsel withdrew to self-isolate.’

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Legal Futures, 24th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

How far do the government’s new emergency powers go? – The Guardian

‘A new government bill that brings sweeping new powers to shut down mass gatherings, potentially detain people with coronavirus symptoms and weaken the social care safety net is being rushed through parliament. The Guardian’s Peter Walker explains what is at stake.’

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The Guardian, 24th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus: Union To Sue Government Over ‘Failure To Protect Precarious Workers’ – Each Other

‘The UK government is facing a legal challenge over claims it is failing to protect the wages and jobs of millions of workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.’

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Each Other, 23rd March 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Coronavirus, sport & the law of frustration and force majeure – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in chambers articles, contracts, coronavirus, news, sport by sally

‘The decision of the English Premier League, Football League and the Scottish FA to suspend football matches as a result of corona virus is the latest in a series of unprecedented responses to the global pandemic. Nick De Marco QC discusses the legal issues in sport arising from the worldwide health crisis.’

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Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 13th March 2020

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Coronavirus and Information Law – Panopticon

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in bills, chambers articles, coronavirus, data protection, news by sally

‘Here are some initial responses to the Coronavirus pandemic from an information law perspective.’

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Panopticon, 20th March 2020

Source: panopticonblog.com

Government identifies justice system’s keyworkers – Legal Futures

‘Legal professionals involved in court and tribunal hearings, as well as those advising people deprived of their liberty or on executing wills are ‘keyworkers’, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk