Judge attacks S&G for “wholly unacceptable” failure – Legal Futures

A High Court judge has strongly criticised Slater & Gordon (S&G) for a “wholly unacceptable” failure to give him a crucial letter when applying for an urgent injunction in a police misconduct case.

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Legal Futures, 4th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

DWP criticised for ‘incredible secrecy’ over deaths of benefit claimants – The Guardian

‘The head of an influential cross-party committee of MPs has criticised the “incredible secrecy” surrounding the government’s handling of the deaths of vulnerable benefit claimants following the case of Errol Graham, a severely ill man who died of starvation after his benefits were cut off.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thimmaya v Lancashire NHS Foundation Trust: The incompetent expert – Hailsham Chambers

‘As all legal practitioners know, good experts win cases. Conversely, bad experts can not only lose cases, but sometimes they can cause a bad case to enter
or remain in existence, wasting time, effort and money. Such was the case in Thimmaya v Lancashire NHS Foundation Trust, where, in a judgment that will understandably alarm the medico-legal world, the County Court decided that a third party costs order should be made against the Claimant’s expert witness, in the sum of £88,801.68.’

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Hailsham Chambers, 21st February 2020

Source: www.hailshamchambers.com

Artist felt indeterminate jail term was like death sentence, inquest told – The Guardian

Posted February 26th, 2020 in imprisonment, inquests, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘An artist who died in a private prison told members of her family the indeterminate term she was serving was “like a death sentence”, a jury has heard.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

CJC sets out rule changes to help vulnerable witnesses – Litigation Futures

‘The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has set out detailed changes it believes should be made to the Civil Procedure Rules to help vulnerable parties and witnesses, including an amended overriding objective.’

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Litigation Futures, 25th February 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

How People In Immigration Detention Try To Cope With Life In Limbo – Each Other

Posted February 19th, 2020 in deportation, detention, immigration, mental health, news, telecommunications by sally

‘The Home Office has received heavy criticism in recent weeks after it emerged people held in immigration detention centres were struggling to access mobile phone reception and could not reach lawyers to challenge their imminent deportation.’

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Each Other, 18th February 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Anorexic woman’s death prompted independent review – BBC News

‘The care of a severely anorexic woman prompted 14 recommendations for change, an inquest has heard.’

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BBC News, 14th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

British woman repeatedly trafficked for sex after Home Office failures – The Guardian

‘A young and highly vulnerable British sex trafficking victim was re-trafficked by county lines drug gangs on multiple occasions after the Home Office repeatedly refused to fulfil its legal obligation to provide her with safe accommodation.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Barristers warn of strain on defendants after Caroline Flack death – The Guardian

‘The death of the Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has prompted questions about the way the justice system deals with allegations of domestic abuse and the strains imposed on defendants.’

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The Guardian, 16th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitor faked email to cover inaction – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor claiming to have become overwhelmed by pressure of work has been struck off after dishonestly misleading clients that she had made court applications.’

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Legal Futures, 14th February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Branston murders: Man jailed for killing mother and her partner – BBC News

Posted February 14th, 2020 in families, imprisonment, mental health, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who strangled his mother and battered her partner with a hammer to see “how he would feel if he killed” has been jailed for at least 32 years.’

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BBC News, 13th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council wellbeing schemes ignored by barristers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 13th, 2020 in barristers, bullying, mental health, news by tracey

‘Bar Council efforts to stamp out bullying and improve mental health in the profession are not working, uptake figures suggest, as discontent at the organisation grows.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 12th February 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Capacity Issues in the Employment Tribunal – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 11th, 2020 in disabled persons, employment tribunals, mental health, news by sally

‘Employment tribunals have particular expertise in dealing with matters relating to disability, including mental health conditions, and are generally well-equipped to ensure that litigants with mental health conditions are able to participate in proceedings to the fullest extent possible.’

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Littleton Chambers, 10th February 2020

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Charity warns over ‘safe’ legalisation of cannabis – The Guardian

Posted February 10th, 2020 in charities, drug abuse, drug offences, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘One in 20 adults would take cannabis on a regular basis if it were legalised, similar to the number of people who currently use it, according to a poll for a leading mental health charity.’

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The Guardian, 9th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitors’ wellbeing worse than schoolteachers, study finds – Legal Futures

Posted February 6th, 2020 in mental health, news, solicitors by sally

‘Solicitors have an even lower sense of psychological wellbeing on average than notoriously hard-pressed schoolteachers, according to research published today to coincide with national Time to Talk day – an event held to promote speaking out about mental health.’

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Legal Futures, 6th February 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Inquest finds use of Taser by Devon and Cornwall Police contributed to death of Marc Cole when experiencing paranoia – Garden Court Chambers

‘The inquest into the death of Marc Anthony Cole has concluded with the jury finding he died from excess use of cocaine resulting in paranoid and erratic behaviour, with the use of a Taser by Devon and Cornwall Police having a more than trivial impact on Marc going into cardiac arrest. The medical cause of death included the use of cocaine, an episode of altered behaviour including self-harm, excitement, exertion and restraint including the discharge of a TASER X26 device.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 30th January 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

‘I wanted to forget the past – but I couldn’t’: How modern slavery victim was left in limbo for five years by Home Office – The Independent

‘He arrived in the UK nearly a decade ago after an “uncle” – the term he uses for older men of his nationality – helped him escape the violence, labour exploitation and sexual abuse he was subjected to for most of his childhood. He has since been saved from his exploiters, but faced a different challenge – the battle for protection from the Home Office.’

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The Independent, 4th February 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lucy Sessions death: Mum criticises police punishment – BBC News

‘A mother has criticised the punishments given to two officers found guilty of misconduct after her daughter’s death.’

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BBC News, 4th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police tasering of man with mental health issues ‘contributed to his death’ – The Guardian

‘Truro inquest hears Marc Cole was hit three times as family calls for review of stun guns.’

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The Guardian, 28th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Errol Graham death: Nottingham man starved after benefits stopped – BBC News

‘Relatives of a man who starved to death after his benefits were stopped have said the system is “not fit for purpose”.’

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BBC, 29th January 2020

Source: www.google.com