Grayling: ‘real plan’ on human rights imminent – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Justice secretary Chris Grayling today promised a “real plan” to shake up human rights law, prompting speculation that prime minister David Cameron will fill in the details in his speech to the Conservative party conference tomorrow.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th September 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Child Rights Impact Assessment on Legal Aid: Particpation work with children and young people – The Children’s Commissioner

Posted September 30th, 2014 in children, legal aid, reports by tracey

‘Child Rights Impact Assessment on Legal Aid: Particpation work with children and young people.’

Full report

The Children’s Commissioner, 24th September 2014

Source: www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk

Open Consultation – Transforming legal aid: crime duty contracts – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 29th, 2014 in consultations, contracts, Law Society, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, solicitors by tracey

‘A consultation on reports undertaken by Otterburn Legal Consulting and KPMG in relation to the proposed duty work contracts for criminal legal aid services.’

Full consultation

Ministry of Justice, 24th September

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

Legal Aid Challenge Success, Assisted Suicide and the Future of UK Human Rights – the Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘This week, the Conservative Party will unveil its plans for human rights reform in the UK. In other news, Chris Grayling’s decision to drastically reduce the number of legal aid contacts granted is successfully challenged, while a prosecution for assisted suicide keeps the assisted dying debate alive.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 28th September 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Children being denied justice by legal cuts, says children’s commissioner – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2014 in budgets, children, HM Courts Service, housing, legal aid, news, young persons by sally

‘Vulnerable teenagers are being deprived of justice because cuts to legal aid are preventing them from getting representation, a report by the children’s commissioner said on Wednesday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Children: Private Law Update – Family Law Week

‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings considers recent judgments in private law children cases, including the President’s judgment on legal aid funding in Q v Q.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 19th September 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Bar Council publishes third representational annual report – The Bar Council

Posted September 22nd, 2014 in advocacy, barristers, budgets, costs, diversity, equality, fees, legal aid, news, reports by sally

‘The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today published the third edition of its annual report, ‘Representing the Bar’, which focuses on the organisation’s representational activities and performance against key strategic aims for 2013-14.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 19th September 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

High Court slaps down legal aid reform – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The lord chancellor acted ‘unlawfully’ in the way he consulted on controversial plans to shake up criminal legal aid, the High Court ruled today [19 September].’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 19th September 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court to decide on domestic abuse legal aid challenge – BBC News

Posted September 19th, 2014 in domestic violence, evidence, family courts, legal aid, news, victims by tracey

‘The High Court is due to decide whether to allow a challenge to rules that determine whether victims of domestic abuse get legal aid in family cases.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council report claims LASPO 2012 damages access to justice – The Bar Council

Posted September 18th, 2014 in barristers, civil justice, costs, delay, family courts, legal aid, litigants in person, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Council has today published a report, based on interviews and a survey of legal practitioners, assessing the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) 2012 on our system of justice a year after implementation in April 2013.’

Full report

The Bar Council, 18th September 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau 75 year anniversary: Geese too loud? Lost false teeth? We can help! Celebrating seven decades of the CAB – The Independent

‘In September 1939, the CAB was established with the creation of 200 emergency centres across the country. Today it deals with issues from the fallout of the bedroom tax, benefits cuts and fraud, but in wartime it helped to replace lost ration books and put wives and parents in touch with lost sons and husbands in prisoner-of-war camps.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal aid: children and the residence test – government response to the JCHR – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 5th, 2014 in children, domestic violence, human rights, legal aid, reports by tracey

‘Government response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ (JCHR) first report of the 2014 to 2015 session.’

Full text

Ministry of Justice, 4th September 2014

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

Family courts unfair for litigants in person, MPs told – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 5th, 2014 in budgets, family courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news, select committees by tracey

‘Litigants in person are not getting fair hearings, the Common’s Justice Committee heard this morning.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd September 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid cut for family courts ‘damaging’ for children – BBC News

Posted September 2nd, 2014 in children, delay, family courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘Children are being damaged by the rising number of estranged couples representing themselves in family court battles, a former judge has claimed.’

Full story

BBC News, 2nd September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

State should pay for representation and witnesses in private child disputes – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Public funding is not generally available for litigants in private-law children cases, and no expert can now be instructed in such a case unless the court is satisfied, in accordance with section 13(6) of the Children and Families Act 2014, that the expert is “necessary” to assist the court to resolve the proceedings “justly”.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 31st August 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Lawyers critical of free mediation scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 22nd, 2014 in budgets, dispute resolution, divorce, legal aid, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The government’s scheme to fund a free mediation session for separating couples will do little to increase the number of people resolving disputes out of court, lawyers have claimed.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st August 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

More free mediation sessions for separating couples – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 21st, 2014 in arbitration, divorce, legal aid, press releases by tracey

‘Couples should avoid confrontational courtroom battles and use mediation as more free sessions will be funded by Government, Family Justice Minister Simon Hughes has announced.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 20th August 2014

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Q v Q; In re B (A Child); In re C (A Child) – WLR Daily

Posted August 12th, 2014 in appeals, children, law reports, legal aid by sally

Q v Q; In re B (A Child); In re C (A Child) [2014] EWFC 31; [2014] WLR (D) 372

‘Since public funding was not in general available for private law children cases, in some circumstances the court could properly direct that the cost of certain activities should be borne by Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (“HMCTS” ), although it was to be emphasised that, the provision of interpreters and translators apart, that was an order of last resort. No such order should be made except by, or having first consulted, a High Court judge or a designated family judge.’

WLR Daily, 6th August 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

President of Family Division suggests courts should cover costs where legal aid cuts may impact access to justice – The World of Family Law (Garden Court Chambers)

‘Rachael Rowley-Fox explores the suggestion made by Sir James Munby, the President of the Family Division, that courts should spend money to ensure that justice is done in the wake of the legal aid cuts.’

Full story

The World of Family Law (Garden Court Chambers), 8th August 2014

Source: www.gcfamily.wordpress.com

Top judge authorises court to cover legal aid in challenge to government – The Guardian

‘One of the most senior judges in England and Wales has thrown down a direct challenge to the government over legal aid by suggesting courts spend money in defiance of Ministry of Justice cuts to ensure justice is done.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk