Four more Nightingale courts open – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 18th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, delay, news, solicitors, working time by sally

‘The Law Society has once again urged the government to avoid extending court hours to reduce the justice backlog after four more Nightingale courts opened this week.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

NHS, solicitors and patients group agree Covid-19 claims protocol – Litigation Futures

‘NHS Resolution, the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers (SCIL) and patient safety charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) have signed up to a new protocol to better manage claims during Covid-19.’

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Litigation Futures, 14th August 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Windrush Lawyers: ‘The Government Is Placing Boulders In The Way Of Justice’ – Each Other

‘It has been more than a year since the government launched its scheme to compensate victims of the Windrush scandal, and at least five applicants have died before receiving a penny. EachOther speaks to Windrush lawyers about the “boulders” being placed in the way of justice and what needs to be done.’

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Each Other, 6th August 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Another recusal refusal – but this time the Court of Appeal steps in – Transparency Project

‘In the second such case in a month, a judge has refused to recuse herself at the request of a litigant, but on this occasion the Court of Appeal has reversed that decision and ordered that she step down from the case and let another judge take over.’

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Transparency Project, 3rd August 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Justice committee launches inquiry into court backlog – Legal Futures

‘MPs have today launched an inquiry to investigate delays in the court system and what should be done to clear the backlog of cases.’

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Legal Futures, 30th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Justice secretary drops plan to replace jury trials – Legal Futures

‘Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland has dropped a widely criticised plan to replace juries in some criminal trials with a judge and two magistrates.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Our goodwill has run dry” – hundreds to refuse out-of-hours hearings – Legal Futures

‘Hundreds of crime lawyers have issued public refusals to attend hearings in evenings or at weekends as new figures show that backlogs in courts and tribunals were growing even before the coronavirus.’

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Legal Futures, 24th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge rails at lawyers’ ‘thoroughly disorganised’ case presentation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in case management, delay, expert witnesses, family courts, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has urged parties not to expect to be given sympathy in future if they continue to flout procedural rules and file evidence late.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st July 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Demand for legal services to surge after pandemic – Legal Services

Posted July 22nd, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, delay, Law Society, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘The end of the coronavirus pandemic will be followed by a “massive increase” in demand for legal services, the president of the Law Society has predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Location of ‘Nightingale courts’ to tackle case backlog in England and Wales revealed – The Guardian

Posted July 21st, 2020 in civil justice, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, news by sally

‘The locations of 10 emergency “Nightingale courts” created by the Ministry of Justice for socially distanced trials to tackle the massive backlog in cases in England and Wales have been announced.’

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The Guardian, 19th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mystery directions – Nearly Legal

‘In the evening of Friday 17 July, The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 appeared, having apparently been laid earlier that day. These will come into force on 23 August 2020.’

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Nearly Legal, 18th July 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Parents of man who died after police restraint challenge delay over Seni’s law – The Guardian

‘The parents of a young black man who died after being restrained in a mental health hospital are asking why a law passed in his name almost two years ago has not yet been enacted by the government.’

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The Guardian,, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus: Ten ‘Nightingale Courts’ in England and Wales to open – BBC News

Posted July 20th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics, trials by sally

‘Ten temporary courts are being set up to help clear a backlog of hearings caused by the coronavirus pandemic.’

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BBC News, 19th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Angry Bar Council mocks Buckland over profession’s support – Legal Futures

Posted July 14th, 2020 in barristers, civil justice, coronavirus, criminal justice, delay, news, working time by tracey

‘The Bar Council has come out fighting after the Lord Chancellor told the Today programme that there was “a lot of support” from the legal profession for extending court sitting hours to help recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.’

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Legal Futures, 14th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘More and more’ victims dropping out of prosecutions as court backlog mounts during coronavirus – The Independent

Posted July 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, criminal justice, delay, news, prosecutions, victims by tracey

‘“More and more” victims are dropping out of court cases as delays mount amid an increasing backlog, a leading expert has warned. Dame Vera Baird, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, told The Independent changes to hearings caused by the coronavirus pandemic were partly to blame.’

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The Independent, 14th April 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of Appeal Re-examines Test for Causation Under Section 15 of the Equality Act 2010 – Old Square Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal has delivered judgment in the case of Robinson v Department for Work and Pensions [2020] EWCA Civ 859, a decision which confirms that it is insufficient for a Claimant to argue, on a claim under section 15 of the Equality Act 2010, that “but for” their disability they would not have been put in a situation that led to unfavourable treatment. Rather, the focus needs to be on the reasons for the treatment itself. In so finding, the Court has approved of the obiter comments of Underhill LJ in Dunn v Secretary of State for Justice [2019] IRLR 298.’

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Old Square Chambers, 7th July 2020

Source: www.oldsquare.co.uk

Proposal To Scrap Juries ‘Shocking’ Amid Black Lives Matter Movement – Each Other

‘Proposals to scrap juries for some trials to reduce court backlogs would remove the “only part of the criminal justice process” proven not to discriminate against minority ethnic groups, a legal expert has warned.’

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Each Other, 9th July 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

MoJ favours ‘Nightingale’ crown courts to tackle huge backlog of cases – Thomas More Chambers

‘So reports Owen Bowcott, the legal affairs correspondent for The Guardian today. “Nightingale” courts being venues which have been identified as suitable for trials utilising public spaces such a civic centres or university moot halls; apparently to be renamed Blackstone Courts.’

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Thomas More Chambers, 3rd July 2020

Source: www.thomasmore.co.uk

“Tsunami of post-Covid litigation” could overwhelm courts – Litigation Futures

Posted July 8th, 2020 in civil justice, coronavirus, courts, delay, news by sally

‘A “tsunami of litigation” powered by the Covid-19 pandemic could leave the civil justice system “overwhelmed” by the end of the year, a well-known solicitor and ADR specialist has predicted.’

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Litigation Futures, 8th July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Windrush: at least five who applied for compensation die before receiving it – The Guardian

‘At least five people have died before receiving the Windrush compensation they had applied for, the government has revealed, reigniting concern about the slowness of the scheme.’

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The Guardian, 7th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com