Calls for views on transforming court estate – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 19th, 2018 in consultations, courts, electronic filing, press releases by sally

‘A public consultation on proposals to shape future decisions on the court and tribunal estate was launched today, as part of the transformation of our justice system.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 18th January 2018

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

Speech by the Lord Chief Justice: Launch of the Business and Property Courts in Bristol – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted January 15th, 2018 in courts, judges, speeches by sally

‘As many of you know I was Presiding Judge on the Western Circuit between 2011 and 2014 and so spent a good deal of time in this great city, including sitting on cases in this building. For that reason, it is a pleasure to be here this morning to launch the B & P courts in Bristol. Our laws and legal system have recently and very properly been described as ‘a vital national asset’. Our courts are central to that system. They contribute to our global influence and our national wealth. They secure that surest public good: the rule of law.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 12th January 2018

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Speech by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court: Launch of the Business and Property Courts in Bristol – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted January 15th, 2018 in courts, judges, speeches by sally

‘First, as we leave the European Union, it is incredibly important that judges and lawyers alike can demonstrate that English law and the courts of England & Wales will continue to offer world class dispute resolution services. We cannot achieve this if we continue to use unintelligible and incomprehensible names and titles. As I said in London at the first of the 5 launches that have already taken place, we need to reach out to the users of these courts and to national and international business generally, so as to ensure that they understand what we are offering in terms of business and commercial litigation here in England and Wales. We need to make sure that these business users can easily understand the services we offer.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 12th January 2018

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

MoJ spending huge sums on consultants to help deliver digital courts – The Guardian

Posted January 4th, 2018 in contracting out, courts, internet, judiciary, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice is spending tens of millions of pounds on management consultants to help deliver online and digital court programmes that are designed to save money and improve access to justice.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Child friendly courts: what we can learn from America – Legal Voice

Posted December 12th, 2017 in children, courts, family courts, news, victims, witnesses, young persons by sally

‘At the tender age of seven, I was faced with the prospect of having to go to court to give evidence. Fortunately, the case settled and I was spared the ordeal of going to court, but I will never forget the endless sleepless nights and distress I felt at the thought of it. The experience made me determined to do whatever I could when I was older to prevent any other child feeling this way.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 11th December 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Brexit: solicitors welcome ‘breathing space’ deal – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lawyers have welcomed with relief the declaration on ‘legal certainty and clarity’ – including mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments – in the Brexit phase 1 agreement reached on Friday. However the Law Society cautioned that the ‘real complexity’ of the deal lies ahead.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 10th December 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Improving UK Competitiveness, Strengthening the Rule of Law – Ministry of Justice

‘Dominic Raab addressed guests at the Policy Exchange in London for the launch of the Linklaters report ‘The Rule of Law: everyone has a part to play’.’

Full Story

Ministry of Justice, 7th December 2017

Source: www.gov.uk

A new financial court for the super wealthy? – Transparency Project

Posted December 11th, 2017 in courts, divorce, financial dispute resolution, judges, news by sally

‘The Times and The Telegraph are reporting that new courts are being established to deal with the financial side of divorces for the wealthy.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 8th December 2017

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Brexit: UK fails to retain voice in European court of justice – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2017 in barristers, brexit, courts, EC law, news by sally

‘Theresa May has failed to get the EU to agree that Britain will retain a voice at the European court of justice in return for her concession that the Luxembourg court will retain a role in protecting citizens’ rights in the UK after Brexit.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th December 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

New courts planned to hear super-wealthy battle over finances – Daily Telegraph

‘Divorce battles among the super wealthy will be heard in separate courts under a plan to make the system more efficient, the head of the family court has announced.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Financial Remedies Courts should lead to ‘greater predictability’ – Family Law

Posted December 6th, 2017 in courts, divorce, families, financial dispute resolution, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘Legal experts believe new Financial Remedies Courts (FRCs) should provide claimants and respondents with greater predictability, when resolving financial claims on relationship breakdown. Three FRCs will be piloted in London, the West Midlands and South East Wales from February 2018. Judges in FRCs will have a greater level of expertise in financial cases. Partners at Mishcon de Reya and Alexiou Fisher Philipps say this will lead to greater predictability of outcome, which the Law Commission has found is not always the case at present, and that it will free up more time in the overburdened family courts.’

Full Story

Family Law, 6th December 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Judges to get counselling to help them cope with sex crime cases – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 6th, 2017 in courts, internet, judges, mental health, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘Judges are to get mental health help to deal with sex crime cases, the new Lord Chief Justice has announced, as he said we must recognise that “judges are human” too.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 5th December 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Uber request to take drivers’ rights case directly to top UK court rejected – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 5th, 2017 in appeals, courts, employment, news, Supreme Court, taxis by sally

‘Uber’s request to take its appeal to overturn a ruling over drivers’ rights directly to the UK’s highest court, skipping the Court of Appeal, has been rejected.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK justice system failing defendants with mental health issues – charity – The Guardian

‘Specialist prosecutors should review all decisions to charge suspects with mental health vulnerabilities and the defence of insanity should be amended, a law reform charity has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

English courts committed to high-quality commercial litigation throughout the country, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

‘Comments around the launch of the Business and Property Courts (BPC) underline the judicial service’s commitment to high-quality commercial litigation regardless of where a case is filed in England and Wales, an expert has said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 23rd November 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

First Courts & Tribunals Service Centres launched – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 3rd, 2017 in courts, electronic filing, press releases by sally

‘The country’s first Courts & Tribunals Service Centres will be launched in Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 2nd November 2017

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

HMCTS launches new consultation on flexible court hours pilots after heeding objections – Legal Futures

Posted October 30th, 2017 in consultations, courts, diversity, HM Courts Service, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has launched a new consultation on flexible operating hours pilots which accepts the possibility that extending the hours of courts, although desirable, might have to be abandoned altogether.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Videolinks in court trials undermine justice system, says report – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2017 in courts, criminal justice, internet, news, reports, video recordings by sally

‘Video-conferencing threatens defendants’ rights and undermines trust in the justice system, according to a report on the government’s drive towards so-called “trial by Skype”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family Drug and Alcohol Court and councils to receive £6m+ from social impact bond – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 20th, 2017 in alcohol abuse, courts, drug abuse, local government, news by sally

‘The Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) and partner local authorities are to receive £6.2m over seven years through a social impact bond to support its work within the family court system, the Government has announced.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 18th October 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Junior barristers “bearing the brunt” of pressure in criminal courts – Legal Futures

Posted October 17th, 2017 in barristers, case management, courts, criminal justice, diversity, news by sally

‘ “Concerned words” about diversity and social mobility need to be turned into action through changes to the way the criminal courts operate if junior barristers are to be retained, the Criminal Bar Association has warned.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk