‘Justice should never come at such a cost’: Court delays leaving victims struggling and suicidal, report finds – The Independent

Posted March 5th, 2025 in Crown Court, delay, news, victims by tracey

‘Record court backlogs are leaving victims unable to work or turning to drugs, alcohol and self-harm as they wait years for cases to reach trial, the Victims’ Commissioner has warned.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

More funding for judges to tackle record court delays – BBC News

Posted March 5th, 2025 in budgets, Crown Court, delay, judiciary, news by tracey

‘Ministers have pledged to increase the number of judges hearing criminal cases in an attempt to cut unprecedented backlogs and delays in Crown Courts in England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 5th March 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The limits of discretion in case management decisions – Quarterly Medical Law Review

‘Prescott-Brann v Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust [2024] EWHC 3314 (KB). The underlying claim was an action in clinical negligence. The Claimant’s case was that a negligent delay in the diagnosis and treatment of his stroke had caused or materially contributed to an ongoing thromboembolic event in his left vertebral artery, thereby worsening a neurological injury. The claim was brought against two defendants: the hospital trust and a diagnostic clinician.’

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Quarterly Medical Law Review, 6th February 2025

Source: 1corqmlr.com

Send first-time, low-level offenders to rehab instead of court, Bar Council says – The Guardian

‘First-time perpetrators of low-level crimes should be diverted from trials by paying compensation to victims or enrolling in rehabilitation to solve the courts crisis, the Bar Council has said.’

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The Guardian, 6th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Delay to ‘Awaab’s law’ risks lives of social housing tenants in England, Shelter says – The Guardian

‘The housing charity Shelter has criticised the government for putting lives at risk by delaying a law to make social landlords in England fix dangerous hazards quickly.’

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The Guardian, 6th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law to make social landlords fix mould in force from October – BBC News

‘Landlords will be forced to investigate and fix damp and mould in social housing in England within strict timescales from October, the government has announced.’

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BBC News, 6th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Juryless trials ‘not the answer’ to court crisis, barristers warn – The Bar Council

‘Removing the right to a jury trial “is not the answer” and risks making the crisis facing the criminal justice system worse, barristers have warned.’

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The Bar Council, 6th February 2025

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Payouts for victims of UK infected blood scandal to be extended to families – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in bereavement, blood products, compensation, delay, families, inquiries, news by tracey

‘Thousands of bereaved parents and children of victims of the infected blood scandal will be able to claim compensation for the first time under new proposed laws to be laid in parliament this month.’

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The Guardian, 2nd February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sir Brian Leveson’s review of the courts – Kingsley Napley Criminal Law Blog

Posted January 30th, 2025 in criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, news by sally

‘Whatever its cause, a backlog of over 73,000 Crown court cases is not acceptable. Delays for complainants, defendants and witnesses all impede justice. In the third quarter of 2024, the Crown court received over 31,683 new cases and disposed of 29,502. The passage of time will not solve the problem. Change is inevitable.’

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Kingsley Napley Criminal Law Blog, 27th January 2025

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

In depth: Gauke’s sentencing review – what he should recommend – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 29th, 2025 in courts, criminal justice, delay, government departments, news, prisons, sentencing by tracey

‘David Gauke’s sentencing review must complement Sir Brian Leveson’s review of the courts if the government is going to come up with a holistic prescription for criminal justice.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th January 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MPs to examine work of county court amid concerns over capacity and resources – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 24th, 2025 in county courts, delay, inquiries, local government, news, select committees by sally

‘The Justice Committee has launched a new inquiry to examine the work of the County Court amid “persistent” concerns over capacity and resources.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

MPs revive inquiry into county court delays – Legal Futures

Posted January 21st, 2025 in county courts, delay, inquiries, news, select committees by tracey

‘The justice select committee has launched a new inquiry into the county court, “amid persistent concerns over capacity and resources”, after the previous one was cut short by the election.’

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Legal Futures, 21st January 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Child sexual abuse inquiry chair urges government to act – BBC News

‘Prof Alexis Jay, the former chair of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse, has called for the “full implementation” of reforms set out in her 2022 report, which warned of “endemic” abuse across society in England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 6th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Adherence to the Public Law Outline in London – issues for family lawyers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 17th, 2024 in delay, families, family courts, local government, London, news by tracey

‘Rebecca Davies discusses the Family Presiding Judge for London, Mr Justice MacDonald’s new practice note and strategy aimed at reducing the huge backlog and delay in the London family courts and how family lawyers may be affected.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th December 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Family case must be reheard after barrister spoke to father and appeared for mother – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 17th, 2024 in child arrangements orders, delay, legal representation, news by tracey

‘An appeal against a child arrangements order has been granted after it emerged that a barrister who represented the mother in proceedings had also been approached in a professional capacity by the father.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th December 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

No Recourse to Public Funds and Article 3: Proving Systems Duty Breaches – EIN Blog

Posted December 16th, 2024 in delay, human rights, immigration, ministers' powers and duties, news by tracey

‘In SAG & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWHC 2984 (Admin), the High Court considered challenges to the Secretary of State’s determination of applications to remove no recourse to public funds (“NRPF”) conditions placed on the Claimants’ leave to remain.’

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EIN Blog, 13th December 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Courts reform to see quicker justice for victims and keeps streets safe – Ministry of Justice

‘Victims of crimes will see the perpetrators face justice more quickly under a once-in-a-generation review of criminal courts, the Lord Chancellor announced today (12 December).’

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Ministry of Justice, 12th December 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Defendants could be ‘diverted’ from criminal justice system amid record backlog – The Guardian

Posted December 16th, 2024 in criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, juries, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics, witnesses by tracey

‘People scheduled to stand trial could be “diverted” from the criminal justice system in efforts to tackle the “unsustainable” backlog of court cases, the head of a major justice review has said.’

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The Guardian, 14th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Some jury trials may be scrapped in England and Wales as court backlog hits record high – The Guardian

Posted December 13th, 2024 in courts, criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, judges, juries, news, statistics, trials by sally

‘Jury trials could be abandoned for some criminal cases in England and Wales under a radical overhaul proposed by ministers as the crown courts backlog hit a record high.’

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The Guardian, 12th December 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Record court backlog as victims wait years for justice – BBC News

‘The backlog in courts handling the most serious crimes in England and Wales has reached an unprecedented high and is likely to rise further still.’

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BBC News, 12th December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk