Court backlog target in England and Wales no longer achievable, says NAO – The Guardian

Posted May 24th, 2024 in criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice’s ambition to reduce the backlog in crown courts in England and Wales to 53,000 by March next year is no longer achievable, a parliamentary watchdog has said.’

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The Guardian, 24th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell bereaved and survivors must wait until 2027 for suspects to face trial – The Guardian

‘The bereaved and survivors of Grenfell Tower must wait until at least 2027 – a decade after the blaze that killed 72 people – before those suspected of being responsible for the disaster could face criminal trials, it has emerged.’

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The Guardian, 22nd May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police chiefs say prison crisis in England and Wales is ‘unsustainable’ – The Guardian

‘Police chiefs have told ministers they fear that the crisis gripping the Prison Service in England and Wales is “unsustainable” and risks public safety, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 21st May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court delays imposed after pressure on prison places – BBC News

Posted May 15th, 2024 in courts, criminal justice, delay, early release, imprisonment, news, prisons by sally

‘Some court appearances will be delayed as part of an emergency measure because of prison overcrowding.’

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BBC News, 15th May 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child refugees using people smugglers to reach family in UK, report warns – The Guardian

‘Child refugees are using people smugglers to cross the Channel in small boats to reunite with parents and other close relatives because delays in government family reunion processes are leaving them stranded in danger, according to a report.’

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The Guardian, 13th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Beyond the boundaries of time – Haden, Luxton and section 14 of POCA – Mountford Chambers

Posted May 7th, 2024 in chambers articles, confiscation, delay, limitations, news by sally

‘Grace Khaile considers the Court of Appeal’s latest judgments on delay in confiscation proceedings. The two-year limit in section 14(5) of the Proceeds of Crime Act after conviction for the determination of confiscation proceedings appears to be no more than notional.’

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Mountford Chambers, 23rd April 2024

Source: www.mountfordchambers.com

Digitising probate without new rules “an expensive mistake” – Legal Futures

Posted May 1st, 2024 in delay, HM Courts Service, inquiries, news, probate, wills by sally

‘Digitising the Probate Service without modernising the rules was “an expensive mistake”, the former chair of the Law Society’s wills and equity committee has told MPs.’

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Legal Futures, 1st May 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

JCT D&B contract 2024 clarifies treatment of liquidated damages at termination – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 29th, 2024 in construction industry, contracts, damages, delay, news by tracey

‘The recently published update by the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) clarifies treatment of liquidated damages at termination and brings the new design and build form in line with other contract types used within the UK construction sector, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th April 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Rwanda bill: what does the latest delay mean? – The Guardian

‘Rishi Sunak’s plan to fly people seeking asylum to Rwanda this spring appears to have been put back to the summer after House of Lords insisted on changes to the scheme.’

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The Guardian, 19th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Report calls for major overhaul of BSB enforcement processes – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has the right approach to dealing with complaints about barristers’ conduct but there are “a large number of areas” for improvement, a major review has concluded.’

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Legal Futures, 12th April 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Met Police refers itself to watchdog after woman fatally stabbed in Westminster home – The Independent

Posted April 10th, 2024 in delay, missing persons, murder, news, ombudsmen, police, professional conduct by sally

‘Scotland Yard has referred itself to the police watchdog after officers waited until the next morning to respond to calls and then found a woman stabbed to death.’

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The Independent, 9th April 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Albanians willing to be repatriated detained for weeks in UK, watchdog finds – The Guardian

Posted April 9th, 2024 in delay, deportation, detention, immigration, news by tracey

‘Albanians volunteering to be repatriated under a fast-track deportation deal are being detained unnecessarily for several weeks at taxpayers’ expense, the prisons watchdog has found.’

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The Guardian, 8th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Firm avoids wasted costs order despite ‘reprehensible’ mistakes – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 28th, 2024 in case management, delay, law firms, news, personal injuries, wasted costs orders by tracey

‘The High Court has rejected a client’s bid for a wasted costs order against his former solicitors – despite being heavily critical of repeated failings in running the case.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 27th March 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rwanda flights: Lords inflict further defeats on government – BBC News

‘The House of Lords has inflicted fresh defeats on the government over its flagship Rwanda bill, meaning further delay to it becoming law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inability to afford a lawyer “cannot delay proceedings”, says master – Legal Futures

Posted March 21st, 2024 in delay, fiduciary duty, legal representation, news, stay of proceedings by sally

‘An impecunious defendant seeking to stay an action because they cannot afford legal representation must show they are trying to rectify the situation, a High Court master has said.’

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Legal Futures, 21st March 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Victims given greater access to justice through legal aid reform – Ministry of Justice

‘Innocent people who have suffered miscarriages of justice, personal harm or injury are among those who will benefit from upcoming changes to legal aid means testing coming into effect this year.’

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Ministry of Justice, 14th March 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Jacobs -v- Chalcot Crescent (Management) Company Limited [2024] EWHC 259 (Ch) – Gatehouse Chambers

Posted March 14th, 2024 in amendments, consent, covenants, delay, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘At a hearing in January 2024, Mr Justice Fancourt allowed an appeal from the decision of HHJ Hellman in which the Judge had determined that the Defendant landlord had reasonably withheld its consent to alterations.’

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Gatehouse Chambers, 27th February 2024

Source: gatehouselaw.co.uk

Lives at risk due to Clare’s Law delays – daughter – BBC News

‘The daughter of a woman who was murdered by her ex-partner has said she fears more people will be killed because of “poor” handling of an abuse prevention scheme set up in her mother’s memory.’

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BBC News, 7th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Years of delays to rape trials a ‘significant injustice’, says judge – The Guardian

Posted March 6th, 2024 in criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, news, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘More than 180 alleged rape victims in England and Wales have faced more than two years of delays since their case first went to court, with a senior judge announcing plans to clear the “serious stain” on the justice system by the end of July.’

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The Guardian, 6th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sunak’s asylum laws trapping 55,000 people in ‘perma-backlog’, says UK thinktank – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2024 in asylum, delay, deportation, government departments, immigration, news, Rwanda by sally

‘Rishi Sunak’s asylum laws have introduced a “perma-backlog” of up to 55,000 people who cannot have their claims processed and risk being left indefinitely in taxpayer-funded temporary accommodation, according to a new report.’

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The Guardian, 28th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com