Legal advice centres in England and Wales halved since 2013-14 – The Guardian

‘Half of all law centres and not-for-profit legal advice services in England and Wales have closed over the past six years, according to government figures.’

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The Guardian, 15th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family courts ‘running up a down escalator’ due to increase in cases – The Guardian

Posted July 3rd, 2019 in budgets, family courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘Family courts are having to “run up a down escalator” to keep pace with unprecedented increases in childcare cases, the most senior family judge in England and Wales has said.’

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The Guardian, 3rd July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

JusticeWatch: Growing ‘justice gap’ in discrimination cases – Legal Voice

‘Victims of discrimination were being denied access to justice and offenders going unchallenged as a result of a ‘failing’ legal aid system, as reported in the Justice Gap.’

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Legal Voice, 21st June 2019

Source: legalvoice.org.uk

Judge rejects application by Official Solicitor for council to pay costs in s.21A proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 19th, 2019 in homelessness, judicial review, legal aid, local government, news by tracey

‘A Court of Protection judge has rejected an application by the Official Solicitor (OS), acting as litigation friend, for the London Borough of Harrow to pay its costs in proceedings under Section 21A of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th June 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court rejects challenge over refusal of legal aid for bid to quash PSPO prohibitions – Local Government Lawyer

‘ A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge brought by human rights group Liberty over the refusal to grant civil legal aid for the pursuit of an application to quash prohibitions contained in a public spaces protection order (PSPO).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th June 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Victims of discrimination ‘denied justice’ as legal aid cuts create ‘David vs Goliath’ scenario, report finds – The Independent

‘Victims of discrimination in England and Wales are being denied justice due to soaring legal aid cuts, the equalities watchdog has warned. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said people who had been discriminated against for reasons such as their race, gender or disability were being left to represent themselves in court, creating a “David vs Goliath” scenario or letting perpetrators to go entirely unchallenged.’

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The Independent, 19th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal aid: students give ‘desperate’ clients free advice – BBC News

‘A free advice clinic provided by law students has a six-month waiting list because people on low incomes struggle to get a solicitor, its director says.’

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BBC News, 13th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminal barristers vote for one-day walkout – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 11th, 2019 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, industrial action, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Criminal barristers will stage a complete one day walkout on 1 July, the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has announced. Prosecution and defence barristers will also refuse case returns from 1 July.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th June 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Charity pours scorn on quality of immigration detainees’ advice – Legal Futures

‘Legal representation for immigration detainees is very poor, including the quality of advice given by solicitors, according to a charity that challenges detention in removal centres and prisons.’

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Criminal bar opens second front in fees dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 31st, 2019 in barristers, criminal justice, fees, legal aid, news by tracey

‘The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has shifted its focus from low prosecution fees onto “unacceptable flaws” in the Advocates Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS).’

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Law Society's Gazette, 30th May 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UN highlights role of legal aid cuts in “immiseration” of millions – Legal Futures

‘The decimation of legal aid has contributed to “the systematic immiseration of millions across Great Britain”, the UN’s expert on poverty and human rights said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New APIL chief: Falling PI damages “an affront to justice” – Litigation Futures

‘Trends in personal injury claims since LASPO, with damages falling, are an “affront to justice”, the new president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has claimed.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Voices of children overlooked in family courts, says ex-head – BBC News

‘Family courts in England and Wales are not properly accommodating children’s voices and needs because the government has suggested “it would all cost too much”, their former head has said.’

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BBC News, 16th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appellant ordered to pay £5k costs after acting unreasonably in SEN appeal – Local Government Lawyer

‘A mother has been ordered to pay Hertfordshire County Council costs of £5,245 after being held to have acted unreasonably over an appeal on her daughter’s schooling, a judgment published this week on Bailii has revealed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st May 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Crimes are going unsolved because forensic science services are in crisis, a damning Lords report warns – Daily Telegraph

‘Serious crimes are going unsolved and innocent people are being wrongly convicted due to a “crisis” in the forensic science industry in England and Wales, a damning report has found.’

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Daily Telegraph, 1st May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lady Hale at the Legal Action Group, London – Supreme Court

‘Legal Aid at 70.’

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Supreme Court, 5th April 2019

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Who gets legal aid? – BBC News

Posted April 16th, 2019 in budgets, civil justice, criminal justice, legal aid, news, statistics by tracey

‘Who gets legal aid?’

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BBC News, 15th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shamima Begum: IS bride ‘given legal aid’ for citizenship fight – BBC News

Posted April 15th, 2019 in citizenship, legal aid, news, proscribed organisations, terrorism by michael

‘Legal aid has been granted for Shamima Begum – who joined the Islamic State group aged 15 – to fight the decision to revoke her UK citizenship.’

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BBC News, 15th April 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Spending on jail staff legal fees 46-times more than for bereaved – The Guardian

Posted April 11th, 2019 in bereavement, fees, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news, prisons, statistics by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice spent £4.2m representing prison officers at inquests, while paying out only £92,000 in legal aid for bereaved families at hearings that examine deaths in prison, according to newly released figures.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal Aid Review: A Step In The Right Direction Or ‘A Drop In The Ocean’? – Rights Info

Posted February 18th, 2019 in civil justice, criminal justice, legal aid, news, reports by sally

‘Last week the government published its long-awaited review into much criticised changes to our legal aid system. It is accompanied by a Legal Support Action Plan that the Law Society says represents a step towards fixing our ailing system, while others have expressed dismay at the uphill battle many still face to access justice.’

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Rights Info, 15th February 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org